Latin America is confronting a serious decline of democracy and its institutions. Unlike the past, coup d'états have been replaced by a phenomenon of gradual erosion of democracies — by what Muñoz calls the "kidnapping of democracies" from within by governments initially elected more or less democratically but that end up taking over the legislative and judicial branches. The decline of democracy interacts with problems like corruption; the rise in transnational organized crime, violence and insecurity; the Trump demonstration effect; and enduring social inequalities. Governing has also become more difficult, as new challenges and identities have emerged. Populists take advantage of people's fears and anxieties to offer security in exchange of giving up fundamental freedoms. Democratic consensus should focus not only on the forms of access to power but also on how it is exercised.

This public lecture series is organized by the Peter F. Cowhey Center on Global Transformation at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy. For more information on center activities, please visit ccgt.ucsd.edu.

This event is co-sponsored by the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies at the UC School of Global Policy and Strategy.