It has been a bumper year for elections across Latin America, and the resounding message from the constituency has been a rejection of the traditional and mainstream. An electorate disillusioned with a corrupt ruling class and fed up of waiting for promised solutions to perennial problems that never materialise has used its vote to bring to power candidates espousing radical and populist policies; from the Left in Mexico and the Right in Brazil.
Introduction
In Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador swept to power on 1 July with the biggest margin of victory by a Mexican presidential candidate for 36 years. At the third attempt, his brand of populist, left-wing nationalism was finally the answer to the question being posed by an electorate exasperated by political corruption and spiralling violence. Brazil’s presidential election was described in its early days as the country’s most uncertain in recent history; it was certainly dramatic. The public scorned the centre ground, resulting in a polarised Left-Right contest. The leftist favourite Lula was barred from running due to being in jail and was replaced at the 11th hour by Haddad; the ultimately-successful, right-wing Jair Bolsonaro was stabbed on the campaign trail.