June 13, 2024
In a recently released book, Uruguay-based think tank Diálogo Político warns that Latin American leftist regimes are eroding democratic institutions and threatening the stability of the hemisphere.
The so-called “pink tide” in Latin America, Diálogo Político argues, has become a “pink galaxy,” made up of actors, institutions, and associations, which are dominated by its most authoritarian “planets” with the support of China, Russia, and Iran, which exploit the pink galaxy for their own geopolitical interests.
According to Luis Fleischman, a sociology and political sciences professor at Palm Beach State University in Florida, “democratic deterioration in Latin America is a serious concern backed by actors with a clear agenda such as Russia, China, and Iran, who show little interest in democracy,” he told Diálogo.
In The pink galaxy, How the São Paulo Forum, the Puebla Group and Their International Allies Undermine Democracy in Latin America, Diálogo Político
suggests that the pink galaxy operates as a transnational party of the authoritarian left, backed by a wide network of individuals and organizations that act in legal conflicts and support international candidacies.
It also opposes neoliberalism and supports dictatorships, with Cuba as a central actor.
Dictatorships, Diálogo Político argues, whether in Latin America, China, or Iran, share common traits: human rights violation, state repression, concentration of power, political prisoners, use of torture, and exile and crime.
Rights and freedoms
Union leaders demonstrate in front of La Moneda presidential palace, against the avalanche of Chinese manufactured products flooding Chile and Latin America, displacing hemispheric industries and causing job losses in the region, in Santiago, April 3, 2024. (Photo: Rodrigo Arangua/AFP)
In line with these concerns, nongovernmental organization (NGO) Amnesty International’s annual report, published in April, paints a worrisome picture of countries aligned with the pink galaxy such as Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Bolivia, Diálogo Político indicated.
Harassment and persecution of activists in Cuba, arbitrary detentions and impunity for crimes against humanity in Nicaragua, improper use of force and violations of economic and social rights in Venezuela, and the lack of judicial independence to protect human rights in Bolivia, are among the crimes the NGO highlights.
According to Diálogo Político, China, Iran, and Russia see these countries as key areas to expand their influence. These external actors share a vision contrary to democratic values and seek to promote a multipolar world that defies democratic principles and human rights, Spanish magazine Política Exterior reported.
The social control that autocratic regimes in Venezuela and Nicaragua exert is on the rise. These regimes maintain a strong alliance with Russia, which dismisses any form of dissent as “fascist,” Diálogo Político indicates. “We face a vital urgency to develop a strategy to counter this situation,” Fleischman said.
Fleischman also highlighted the complex situation in Venezuela, especially in the context of the upcoming presidential elections. “The July elections in Venezuela are going to end badly, as the Maduro regime seeks to hold on to power. This will be a time to demand a response from civil society, in an environment where repression and control are rife.”
Embracing Iran
Iran is increasingly seeking to strengthen its defense cooperation in the region, particularly with Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, Nicaraguan daily La Prensa reported. Not only has Bolivia showed interest in acquiring Iranian drones to “improve border security,” but it also allegedly received more than 700 members of the Quds Force, the elite armed wing of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, La Prensa added.
In addition, La Paz established an anti-imperialist school for Latin American armed forces, with instructors from Iran, Cuba, and Russia, Venezuelan daily El Nacional reported. Venezuela, for its part, has been strengthening its alliance with Iran, signing 25 bilateral agreements in sectors such as petrochemicals, mining, and transportation. Cuba and Iran signed six agreements in areas such as information technologies, telecommunications, and port services, La Prensa reported.
Steadily
According to Spanish magazine Política Exterior, China and Russia are steadily advancing in Latin America. Beijing is investing heavily in economic, security, and cultural ties in a bid to bolster its influence.
According to Spain’s think tank Elcano Royal Institute, Russia’s presence in Latin America is two-pronged: On the one hand, political-military collaboration with Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela facilitates the installation of bases and military detachments in the region. On the other hand, Russia employs various propaganda campaigns through its media RT and Sputnik Mundo, with programs in Spanish and a strong presence in social networks.
Another factor
Another factor comes into play into the deterioration of democracy in the region. The leftist authoritarian tendency “is intertwined with the interests of drug cartels,” Fleischman said. “These criminal groups take advantage of the protection granted by these regimes.”
For Fleischman, this situation in Latin America represents a threat to regional security. Actors such as Russia, China, Iran, Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, “seek to undermine the liberal democratic order, which implies the destruction of citizens’ rights,” he concluded.
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Posted on June 21, 2024
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