Since the 1990s, Latin American presidents have been pushing for multiple presidential terms. Clockwise: Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela; Alvaro Uribe, president of Colombia; Rafael Correa, president of Ecuador; Manuel Zelaya, ousted president of Honduras; Alberto Fujimori, former president of Peru; Carlos Menem, former president of Argentina. (Reuters: Miraflores Palace, Jaime Saldarriaga, Jose Miguel Gomez, Juan Carlos Ulate, Esteban Medel, Zoraida Diaz)
Return of the dictators?
Colombia's Alvaro Uribe is the latest in a string of Latin American leaders to push for more time in office.
BOGOTA, Colombia — Across Latin America, presidents are pulling strings and pressuring lawmakers to change their constitutions to allow for multiple presidential terms — a trend that began in the 1990s.
Presidential re-election is a controversial issue in Latin America because many nations were ruled by abusive military dictators who refused to leave office peacefully. In addition, the courts, the media and other institutions that serve as checks on presidential power were often weak.
As a result, when democracy took hold, most of the new constitutions in these countries banned presidential re-election. But the emergence of a string of charismatic, successful leaders in the 1990s convinced politicians and voters to amend their constitutions to allow for second, and in some cases, third terms. Colombia's Alvaro Uribe is the latest Latin American leader hoping to hang onto his job. The House of Representatives is scheduled to meet Tuesday to vote on a bill to hold a referendum that could pave the way for Uribe to stand for a third four-year term in the 2010 election.
But Uribe should be careful what he wishes for. In many cases, second and third terms haven't worked out so well.
CARLOS MENEM: President of Argentina, 1989-1999
The Good: Menem took office amid a deep economic crisis. By pegging the Argentine peso to the U.S. dollar, he helped tame hyperinflation. He opened the country to foreign investment and privatized state-run companies. The resulting economic recovery helped him push through a constitutional amendment so he could run for a second term in 1995. He won by a landslide.
The Bad: Menem’s second term was marred by corruption scandals and an economic slowdown. He tried and failed to amend the constitution to run for a third consecutive term in 1999. After sitting on the sidelines and facing numerous lawsuits, he was allowed to run for a third term in 2004. Menem won the first round of voting but pulled out of the run-off when he appeared headed for certain defeat.
ALBERTO FUJIMORI: President of Peru, 1990-2000
The Good: His economic policies helped end hyperinflation and usher in a period of rapid economic growth. He was widely credited with defeating the Shining Path guerrillas following the 1992 capture of the group’s leader Abimael Guzman — though remnants of the rebel organization continue to carry out attacks. A new constitution in 1993 allowed him to run for re-election in 1995.
The Bad: Fujimori closed the Congress in a so-called “self-coup” in 1992 and was accused of human rights abuses in the war against the guerrillas. His allies in Congress “reinterpreted” the constitution, which opened the door for Fujimori to run for a third five-year term in 2000. Though he won, the election was tainted by fraud and shortly afterward Fujimori fled to Japan and faxed his resignation from Tokyo. On April 7, 2009, he was found guilty of human rights abuses and sentenced to 25 years in a Peruvian prison.
To compare Alvaro Uribe Velez with other Presidentes is a lack of respect against them. Uribe is the only LatAm President keeping a criminal file in the United States. In 1991, the DEA made a list with the 104 more notorious Colombian drug lords and collaborators. In such list, you can read clearly that Uribe was a piece of Pablo Escobar and his maffiosi organization, the powerful Medellin Cartel. The list is real and accurate and is included in the Uribe's file classified in the Pentagon, along another documents and photos, in the Washington's offices of the DIA (Defense Intelligent Agency), under the Military term CONFIDENTIAL NOFORN WINITEL. This file was sealed as reason of Security National by George W. Bush.
Uribe is a crook and a blood cold assassine. I have no doubt about it. He is considered the most corrupt President in the Colombian history; moreover, Uribe has been founder and supporter of the murderers and bloodthirsty paramilitary groups called Convivir. He has been accused by first hand witness of having planned and supported the massacre in the small peasant town called El Aro.
Just make click in the next link and rolling it until the number #82.
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB131/dia910923.pdf
Yes, this is the "popular" Colombian President.
I disagree with this opinion. Mr Alvaro Uribe has been the best president Colombiahas ever had and though I do not support re-election for a third time this is mainly due to corrupt presidents that managed our country in the past. Alvaro Uribe crrently holds popularity of over 55% in Colombia due to his social security program and excellent results.
Uribe is a hero. A politician, yes, but he deserves credit for his acomplishments. Ask any taxi driver!
Mr Otis, you forgot to mention Brazil's former president Cardoso, who changed the rules of the game in 1997, one year before the '98 general elections, and carried out a populist monetary policy, keeping the Real artificially overvalued just enough time as to assure his reelection. Not to mention the buy-out of congress people in order to approve the constitutional changes...
OMG there are so many things wrong with this story...I love how Chavez is "good" for spending the oil wealth on poor people and then "bad" for *wasting* the oil wealth on poor people. And if seeking an elected 3rd term makes you a dictator, we'd have to extend the term to include FDR and Margaret Thatcher, among others.
I can't come close to the takedown that BoRev has already done on this inane piece: http://www.borev.net/2009/09/meet_the_worlds_greatest_dicta.html
Recent on Colombia:
War-zone tourism
John Otis - Colombia - November 8, 2009 09:45 ET
It's a national park “where the rainbow becomes a river.” And it's nearly empty.
Soccer team's murder leaves villagers scared
Charlie Devereux - Venezuela - November 4, 2009 06:55 ET
The murder of an amateur soccer team has heightened tensions between Colombia and Venezuela.
Colombia's rebel turncoats
John Otis - Colombia - October 29, 2009 07:12 ET
A government propaganda blitz urges FARC rebels to give up the fight. It seems to be working.
In the jungle with the Colombian army
John Otis - Colombia - October 29, 2009 07:06 ET
A reporter accompanies a Colombian army mission and observes why winning the war remains so difficult.
Angel, or FARC in disguise?
Nadja Drost - Colombia - October 10, 2009 11:49 ET
Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba evokes strong reactions from supporters and detractors alike.
Colombia's spy scandal
John Otis - Colombia - October 1, 2009 05:54 ET
The intelligence agency has been spying on Colombians — but most don't care if it means they're safer from guerrillas.
.jpg)
Putting a community, and its land, underwater
Nadja Drost - Colombia - September 23, 2009 06:05 ET
Peasants are angry about being pushed off their land for a hydroelectric project whose energy might not even go to Colombians.
Is South America in an arms race?
Nadja Drost - Colombia - September 20, 2009 06:27 ET
Major arms purchases stoke fears of flaring regional tensions on an increasingly militarized continent.
Essay: How to deal with kidnappings
John Otis - Worldview - September 18, 2009 06:02 ET
As the Taliban takes more high-profile hostages, there are lessons to be learned from Colombia's war with the FARC.
Digging up the dead
John Otis - Colombia - September 9, 2009 05:45 ET
Colombia is excavating its civil war dead for the first time — sometimes by going into active war zones.
A Colombian's quest
John Otis - Colombia - September 6, 2009 16:15 ET
Video: The father of a soldier held prisoner symbolically crucified himself to call attention to the plight of Colombia’s hostages.
Anti-Chavez and anti-Uribe protesters face off
Nadja Drost - Colombia - September 6, 2009 14:59 ET
Social networking organizes international protests against the Venezuelan president.
New waves of displacement
Charlie Devereux - Venezuela - September 4, 2009 15:18 ET
Colombia's offensive against armed groups has increased the flow of refugees across the Venezuela border.
Run off their land
John Otis - Colombia - September 4, 2009 05:49 ET
Farmers displaced by war and ignored by politicians are searching for a new life in Bogota's slums.
Bribery accusations in case against Chevron
John Otis - Colombia - September 2, 2009 11:32 ET
In case over Amazon cleanup, Chevron releases videotapes it says implicate the judge in a bribery scheme.
Return of the dictators?
John Otis - Colombia - September 2, 2009 08:14 ET
Colombia's Alvaro Uribe is the latest in a string of Latin American leaders to push for more time in office.
A new stage for drug deals and turf wars
Nadja Drost - The Americas - August 29, 2009 17:00 ET
Panama, once one of Latin America's safest countries, is now home to gangs and drug violence.
A jailed teacher and a prison library
Nadja Drost - Colombia - August 25, 2009 09:19 ET
Colombia's penitentiaries are increasingly filled with political prisoners accused of belonging to insurgent groups.
Cockfighting: cruelty or culture?
John Otis - Colombia - August 21, 2009 12:37 ET
Watch GlobalPost videos:
Reporter's Notebook
BOGOTA, Colombia — Things haven’t been going so well for Colombia’s largest guerrilla group. An army offensive and a wave of...Read more >
BOGOTA, Colombia — Is Colombian President Alvaro Uribe steamrolling toward a third term? Or running out of time? Just before midnight Tuesday,...Read more >
BOGOTA, Colombia — There’s been a mysterious twist in the legal battle pitting Chevron Corp. against Ecuadorian activists who want the...Read more >
Featured: Special Projects
After the Fall:
20 years since the Berlin Wall came down
Life, Death and the Taliban:
Videos and stories
Study Abroad:
Students report from the road
Living in the Shadows:
An intimate look at China's migrant workers
A World of Trouble:
The global economy in 20 hotspots
Global Blogs:
Comments:
5 Comments.
Login or Register to post comments