COVID-19 proved disastrous to Latin America. It was not just because it had a high death rate of eight. Times higher thanThe pandemic caused a surge in left-wing populism, which is threatening personal liberty and economic stability throughout the region.
Gustavo Petro, the Colombian presidential candidate was the most popular. He proposed to increase taxes, take private land, extend entitlements and reduce the size of the oil-and gas industry. Peru’s socialist president Pedro Castillo is now in office was elected with the promise of weakening property rights and rewriting the constitution to allow for a dramatic expansion of state power. In Argentina, President Alberto Fernández has responded to rapid inflation and a shrinking economy by Imposing price controlsIncreased taxes and a growing regulatory state. And in Chile—although the upcoming presidential runoff will help to set the nation’s political course in the coming years—after the pandemic, voters opted to redraft the nation’s constitution, which CouldEnshrine in law greater government intervention into the economy The weakening of private property rights.
It’s worrying because Chile has opted for rule of law and a safe legal system. Antonella Marty (Argentine libertarian at 29), is the Atlas Network Associate Director at Center for Latin America. Marty also has four books to her credit about the region. And it’s fallen prey to terrible ideas about big government, as every other country in Latin America.
An interview with There are reasonsMarty talked about some of the problems that caused poverty and instability throughout the region. Marty mentioned the tendency to look at political leaders like prophetic figures, the belief that the wealthy are wealthier than the poor, and the fact that protectionionism is key to prosperity.
Jim Epstein, motion graphics by Isaac Reese. Graphic design by Nathalie Walk; translation assistance. María Jose Inojosa Salina.
Photos: Omar Martínez/dpa/picture-alliance/Newscom; PPI/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Vanessa Rubilar / SOPA Images/Si/Newscom; Santiago Botero/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; SOPA Images/Pablo Rojas Madariaga / SOPA Ima/Newscom; Camilo Erasso/Newscom; Miyer Juana/Newscom; NUCLEO-FOTOGRAFIA > ANTHONY NINO/El Comercio de PERU/Newscom; Carlos Garcia Granthon/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; Stringer/EFE/Newscom; MatÃAs Baglietto/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; Claudio Santisteban/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Vanessa Rubilar/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; Claudio Abarca Sandoval/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; Claudio Abarca Sandoval/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; Matias Basualdo/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; Matias Basualdo/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; Sven Simon/picture alliance / SvenSimon/Newscom; Circa Images Glasshouse Images/Newscom; Sandrine Huet / Le Pictorium/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Keith Levit/Newscom; Us Coast Guard/ZUMA Press/Newscom; ENRIQUE DE LA OSA/REUTERS/Newscom; IVAN CA AS Notimex/Newscom; LENIN NOLLY/EFE/Newscom; CLAUDIA DAUT/REUTERS/Newscom; JOSE MIGUEL GOMEZ/REUTERS/Newscom