Latin America Isn’t Suddenly Going Socialist

It’s not that simple, although there are some interesting signs.

Photo by Roberto Huczek on Unsplash

If there’s one thing that makes me cringe like nobody’s business, it’s when I listen to European and North American analysts explain Latin American politics. It’s just stupid simplistic most of the time, and doesn’t really explain the diverse political realities of the continent.

With Gustavo Petro taking the win in Colombia last Sunday, we’re bound to see and hear many new analyses of a left-wing wave taking over Latin America. I’ve already heard some.

And sure, it may look like it, but it’s not that simple.

While some of the leaders in the region, like Petro, do seem to fall into the traditionally leftist box, politics in Latin America doesn’t always neatly follow the European left/right categories.

And their victories, well, they’re not as straightforward, either.

Petro’s Win and Future Challenges

I watched Gustavo Petro’s visibly emotional post-election speech on Sunday with my Colombian boyfriend, who shed a couple of tears when the victory materialized. It was my boyfriend’s birthday, too, so for a while, I too was filled with love and hope for future generations.