The label “pink tide” was already misleading 20 years ago. Today, with even more pronounced distinctions between the left-wing presidents and diverse foreign policy orientations—including some critical views of Cuba—such a generalization has become even more outdated and is by far too inaccurate to categorize a political trend.
The Chilean election poses a positive, if selective, narrative about Chile’s past and its remarkable transformation, against a new generation’s discontent with some parts of that transformation and the problems it has generated or failed to resolve.
Chile’s plebiscite has been pushed to October 25 after concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. But as debate over reforming the country’s constitution intensifies, could a more polarized society ensue?
Five months into his second presidency, Sebastián Piñera has seen his popularity drop. Unrealistic expectations over economic growth and a series of controversial statements from his cabinet members explain why.
With former president Sebastián Piñera seemingly cruising to victory, Chile appears set to have been ruled by two people for 16 of the 32 years since its transition to democracy.
Disagreement over a mining project forced Bachelet’s economic advisers to resign from their posts, marking the president’s second break with a Secretary of Finance during her 4-year tenure.
With primaries and general elections around the corner, the ruling center-left New Majority coalition has splintered and been dragged down by president Bachelet’s unpopularity.
