Americas This Week: January 28, 2023

January 28, 2023

A weekly review of news and analysis of elections in the Americas, usually posted on Saturdays and occasionally updated throughout the week.

Protests in Lima, Peru in December 2022. Protesters want early elections. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Mayimbú (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Upcoming Americas Elections

Ecuador Regional and Local Elections: February 5, 2023

Reuters (January 25, 2023): Ecuador accuses 28 local election candidates of possible crime links

Paraguay Presidential, Legislative, and Gubernatorial Elections: April 30, 2023

Clara Preve-Durrieu, New York Sun (January 28, 2023): Biden’s Sanctions in Paraguay Could Aid Communist Chinese Efforts To Build Influence in South America: With a presidential election looming, Treasury-imposed sanctions are putting at risk the country’s long-lasting relationship with the Republic of China on Taiwan.

Ken Parks, Bloomberg (January 26, 2023): US Sanctions Two of Paraguay’s Political Elite Ahead of Vote

Mexico, Some Gubernatorial Elections: June 4, 2023

Bnamericas notes: “In this year’s gubernatorial elections in Mexico state and Coahuila, ruling Morena party could take the last strongholds of conservative PRI party….Coahuila and Mexico state are home to the biggest number of the opposition parties’ members, with Mexico state always having been governed by PRI. If both states flipped to Morena, the party’s 2024 presidential candidate would enjoy a massive advantage, while pushing PRI to the brink of extinction.” 

BNAmericas (January 26, 2023): Mexico’s 2023 elections: What’s at stake?

Reuters (January 23, 2023): Analysis: Mexico City metro exposes “Achilles heel” of mayor’s presidential dreams

Guatemala General Elections: June 25, 2023

Human Rights Watch (January 24, 2023): Human Rights Concerns for Guatemala’s 2023 General Elections

Chile Constituent Assembly Elections: April/May (expected) and Constitutional Referendum: November/December (expected)

Following protests starting in 2019, an elected group of Chileans drafted a new constitution in 2022. The group produced one of the world’s most left-wing proposed constitutions in the world, but voters rejected it by a large margin. Subsequently, lawmakers agreed to restart the process. Therefore, Chile will hold elections for a new constituent assembly in April or May, with  a referendum on the draft constitution that body produces expected in November or December.

Reuters (January 23, 2023): Crime, inflation hammer support for Chile’s Boric in tough first year

Argentina Presidential and Legislative Elections: October 22, 2023

Agustino Fontevecchia, Buenos Aires Times (January 28, 2023): The secret pacts between Massa & Alberto and Macri & Rodríguez Larreta

Michael Stott and Lucinda Elliott, Financial Times (January 24, 2023): Gas and mining boom to transform Argentina’s economy, minister says: Sergio Massa highlights Vaca Muerta shale development set to turn Buenos Aires into exporter

Peru General Elections: April 11, 2021 (early elections could be set for April or December 2024)

Paula Bustamante, AFP (January 28, 2023): Peru Congress rejects snap election, president asks to try again

Dan Collyns and Tom Phillips, The Guardian (January 27, 2023): Peru’s beleaguered president urges congress to bring 2024 elections forward: Dina Boluarte calls for vote to be held in December after weeks of anti-government protests since overthrow of former president

AFP (January 27, 2023): Lima records first protest death after Peru lawmakers reject snap elections

Daniel Politi, AP (January 24, 2023): Rights groups dismayed at lack of criticism for Peru abuses

AP (January 23, 2023): Pope calls for an end to violence in Peru, urges talks

Alicia del Aguila, European Consortium for Political Research (January 23, 2023): The roots of political conflict in Peru

Haiti Presidential and Legislative Elections: Long overdue, but could happen in 2023 (delayed from November 7, 2021, no new date set – don’t hold your breath)

Widlore Mérancourt and  Claire Parker, Washington Post (January 26, 2023): Haitian police, angered by officer killings, attack PM’s home, airport

J.O. Haselhoef, Haitian Times (January 25, 2023): UN: New ‘dynamic consensus’ in place for Haiti, elections coming this year

Peter Hakim, Georges Fauriol, Sibylle Fischer, and James Morrell: Latin America Advisor (January 25, 2023): What Must Be Done in Order for Haiti to Survive?

AP (January 23, 2023): UN chief insists on deploying special armed forces as crises in Haiti worsen

Past Americas Elections

Brazil General Elections: October 2, 2022

Al Jazeera (January 28, 2023): Jan 8 investigation targets nephew of Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro: Leonardo Rodrigues de Jesus is the first member of Bolsonaro’s family to be probed in relation to the January 8 attack.

The Brazilian Report, Wilson Center (January 26, 2023): Lula Finds Out that Latin America Is Not As He Left It

Vinicius Andrade, Maria Eloisa Capurro and Felipe Saturnino, Bloomberg (January 24, 2023): Lula’s Jab at Central Bank Puts Traders on Edge Across Brazil

Nicaragua General Elections: November 7, 2021

Harry Scherer, Newsweek (January 23, 2023): Why Is the Biden Administration Ignoring Religious Persecution in Nigeria?

Bolivia General Elections: October 18, 2020 (re-run of 2019 elections)

Reuters (January 25, 2023): Bolivians turn out for opposition-led ‘national assembly’ as protests could return

Regional Analysis

Sonny Lo Shiu Hing, Macau Business (January 27, 2023): Diplomatic wrestling between Taipei and Beijing over Honduras, Guatemala and Paraguay

Maria Eloisa Capurro, Bloomberg (January 27, 2023): About the Brazil-Argentina Not-a-Common Currency Idea

Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald (January 25, 2023): Latin American summit in Argentina claimed to defend democracy but did the opposite

AS/COA (January 25, 2023): A guide to 2023 Latin American elections

Alexander Busch, DW (January 24, 2023): The sur: Argentina, Brazil put common currency plan on ice

Americas Elections Coming Up in 2023

Antigua and Barbuda Snap Elections: January 18, 2023

Trinidad and Tobago Indirect Presidential Election (by parliament): January 20, 2023

Ecuador Regional and Local Elections: February 5, 2023

Jamaica Local Elections: February 2023 (long overdue – date still not set)

Guyana Local Elections: March 13, 2023

Argentina, Gubernatorial Elections in Corrientes and Neuquen: March 26, 2023

Paraguay Presidential, Legislative, and Gubernatorial Elections: April 30, 2023

Chile Constituent Assembly Elections: April/May 2023 (expected)

Canada, Alberta Provincial Elections: May 29, 2023

British Virgin Islands Assembly Election: May 2023 (due)

Mexico, Some Gubernatorial Elections: June 4, 2023

Guatemala General Elections: June 25, 2023

Argentina Presidential Primary: August 13, 2023

Guatemala General Election Runoffs: August 27, 2023

Canada, Prince Edward Island Provincial Elections: October 2, 2023

Canada, Manitoba Provincial Elections and Northwest Territories Territorial Elections: October 3, 2023

Argentina Presidential and Legislative Elections: October 22, 2023

Colombia Regional Elections: October 29, 2023

Argentina Presidential Runoff: November 19, 2023

Dominica Indirect Presidential Election (by parliament): October 2023 (due)

Chile Constitutional Referendum: November/December 2023 (expected)

Trinidad and Tobago Local Elections: December 20, 2023

Haiti Presidential and Legislative Elections: Long overdue, but could happen in 2023 (delayed from November 7, 2021, no new date set)

21votes does not necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed in the linked articles; rather, our goal is to curate a wide range of voices. Furthermore, none of the individuals or organizations referenced have reviewed 21votes’ content. That is to say, their inclusion should not be taken to imply that they endorse us in any way. More on our approach here.

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