January 6, 2024

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

Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador, speaks at his inauguration in 2019. Although El Salvador’s constitution prohibits a president from running for immediate re-election, a court ruled that Bukele could run for another term this year. Some have criticized the decision and called Bukele an authoritarian. Photo credit: Wiklmedia/Office of U.S. Commerce Secretary (public domain)

Upcoming Americas Elections

El Salvador Presidential and Legislative Elections: February 4, 2024 and Local Elections: March 3, 2024

J.D. Capelouto, Semafor (January 4, 2024): Drastic drop in murders caused the popularity of El Salvador’s president to soar

Marcos Aleman, AP (January 4, 2024): El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele takes his presidential reelection campaign beyond the country’s borders

Allison Meakem, Foreign Policy (January 2, 2024): Can Anything Stop El Salvador’s Bitcoin-Loving, Backsliding Leader?

Panama Presidential and Legislative Elections: May 5, 2024

Rich Brown, Americas Quarterly (January 4, 2024): Meet the Candidates: Panama: Panama’s 2024 elections, shaped by last year’s protests, will take place on May 5.

Dominican Republic Presidential and Legislative Elections: May 19, 2024

Emilie Sweigart, Americas Quarterly (January 4, 2024): Meet the Candidates: Dominican Republic

Mexico Presidential, Legislative, Gubernatorial, and Local Elections: June 2, 2024

Rich Brown and Emilie Sweigart, Americas Quarterly (January 4, 2024): Meet the Candidates: Mexico

Edgar Guillaumin, Wilson Center (January 3, 2024): 2024 Elections: The United States, Mexico, and USMCA

Uruguay Presidential and Legislative Elections: October 27, 2024

Tara Hein, Americas Quarterly (January 4, 2024): Meet the Candidates: Uruguay

Venezuela Presidential Election: Due in 2024 (no date set)

Javier Tovar, AFP (January 5, 2024): Venezuela Enters Uncertain Election Year

José Enrique Arrioja, Americas Quarterly (January 4, 2024): Meet the Candidates: Venezuela – Venezuela’s elections are in doubt as the country prepares to vote in 2024

Kristina Foltz, Newsweek (January 3, 2024): Why Normalizing Venezuela’s Maduro Is Dangerous

Florantonia Singer, El País (January 3, 2024): Maduro plays the game of confusion with his 2024 presidential run: Chavismo could be considering other candidates for the election due to the Venezuelan president’s low popularity

Allison Meakem, Foreign Policy (January 2, 2024): Venezuela’s Strongman Wonders Whether to Risk Free Elections for Sanctions Relief

AP (December 31, 2023): Venezuela says troops will stay deployed until British military vessel leaves waters off Guyana

Canada General Elections: October 2025 (due – earlier elections possible)

Rachel Aiello, CTV News (January 3, 2024): What Canadians surveyed think about the timing of the next federal election

Bolivia Presidential and Legislative Elections: October 2025 (due)

AFP (December 30, 2023): Bolivian court rules that former president Morales cannot seek re-election

Regional Analysis

Chase Harrison, AS/COA (January 4, 2024): 2024 Elections in Latin America: A Preview

James Bosworth, World Politics Review (January 2, 2024): Latin America’s Incumbents Will Have a Good 2024. Democracy Won’t

Natalie Alcoba, Al Jazeera (December 30, 2023): Year of the underdog: How ‘outsiders’ upended Latin America’s elections: From Argentina to Guatemala to Ecuador, voters rejected establishment candidates in this year’s presidential races.