LAC Program Highlights LAC Grantee Spotlight 2006 Latin America and the Caribbean Program Descriptions: Argentina Bolivia Colombia Cuba Ecuador Guatemala Haiti Mexico Nicaragua Peru Venezuela Latin America Regional Jump to Regional Programs

An intense cycle of executive and legislative elections took place throughout Latin America and the Caribbean in 2006. Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Haiti, México, Nicaragua, Perú, and Venezuela elected presidents, while nine countries held legislative elections. These elections and their results illustrate both the strengths and weaknesses of democracy in the region. On the positive side, elections have become the only legitimate mechanism to select public authorities, express the will of the people, and manage conflict. At the same time, however, some of these elections were held amidst high levels of polarization and resulted in deep regional, socioeconomic, and ideological divisions. In countries like Bolivia, Haiti, México and Venezuela, post-election tensions challenge political stability and governance and could threaten the quality of democracy. Recent economic growth in the region has fueled people's demands for more equitable income distribution. Increased fiscal revenues and enduring inequalities combined with unresolved social tensions and weak institutions have created fertile ground for the spread of populist and authoritarian appeals. Moreover, citizens throughout the region have resorted to extra-institutional means to express their demands or discontent.

The long-awaited presidential elections in Haiti following the ousting of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the transfer of power from Fidel Castro to his brother Raúl in Cuba stand out as significant developments in the countries with the most serious democratic deficits in the region. In Bolivia, by contrast, the high expectations created by the election of a widely popular indigenous president and the convening of a Constituent Assembly have led to divisions, instability, and even violence. In Venezuela, the reelection of President Hugo Chávez, also with significant levels of support, rapidly translated into governmental actions that threaten political pluralism and balance of power. A particularly troublesome development in the region has been the drafting (in Venezuela) and approval (in Perú) of laws that limit and control the autonomous functioning of NGOs receiving international support.

In 2006, the Endowment's portfolio in Latin America and the Caribbean included 95 projects distributed throughout 11 countries, including 14 regional projects.

Given the central role that elections played in the region's political and institutional consolidation during 2006, many of NED's projects focused on these processes. In Ecuador, Grupo Faro and CIPE's local partner, the Ecuadorian Institute for Political Economy, promoted public debate on political and economic issues and worked to build consensus on policy recommendations to include in candidates' agendas. In Haiti, Centre de Formation Citoyenne et d'Appui au Développement (CEFCAD) and Rassemblement National des Citoyens Organisés pour le Développement d'Haïti (RANCODHA) are working with newly elected officials to promote greater collaboration between them and community leaders. In México, Centro de Encuentros y Diálogos (CED) held a series of "get-out-the-vote" activities and monitored election-day voting. Movimiento por Nicaragua and Hagamos Democracia encouraged Nicaraguans to participate in the presidential and legislative elections. In Perú, Consorcio de Investigación Económica y Social (CIES) developed campaigns to promote a more informed debate for the regional and municipal elections, and IRI conducted programs and workshops to encourage greater participation of women in politics and increase interactions between women candidates and their potential constituents.

NED has continued to devote significant resources to Cuba. Through 13 projects, NED supported various organizations committed to monitoring human rights violations and to providing humanitarian assistance to political prisoners and their families. NED also broadened its programs aimed at overcoming the information blockage in Cuba and supported innovative efforts to promote the rights and voice the grievances of independent labor groups, women, and Afro-Cuban descendants. Some organizations worked to establish effective networks and collaborative approaches among the different groups working abroad and inside the island. Other organizations are engaged in creating awareness and solidarity in the international community about the efforts of Cuban individuals and organizations to pursue their right to live in a democratic society.

More than one-third of the NED's Latin American projects focused on the Andean sub-region (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Perú and Venezuela), which has experienced high levels of instability and conflict in the past decade. Most of NED's projects in this sub-region have targeted issues of local concern and are aimed at strengthening local democratic institutions and processes, including traditionally excluded populations such as indigenous people, Afro-Latino populations, and women.

In response to the multifaceted challenges confronting Venezuelan democracy, NED awarded the largest number of grants in the region to this country. Various organizations dealt with issues related to the independence and transparency of the judiciary, monitoring of human rights violations, defense of civil society's independence, and promotion of community justice. Other organizations worked at the local level developing trainings on human rights for police officers, promoting programs to enhance citizen participation, developing consensus building and conflict resolution programs, and strengthening citizen oversight of social programs. One organization worked with indigenous groups to promote their rights, strengthen their skills and encourage their participation in municipal government.

NED continued to support regional projects that share valuable experiences, skills and program ideas across borders. NED core institutes developed ambitious projects in several countries based on their extensive regional networks and experience. NDI and IRI concentrated their efforts on training young political party leaders, reforming political parties and electoral monitoring. ACILS continued its regional projects to support freedom of association among workers, strengthen unions' negotiation capacities, and develop unions' internal democratic procedures. CIPE focused on the discussion and spread of market-centered economic ideas and practices in the region. Among NED discretionary programs, Afro-América XXI continued its program to promote the political participation of Afro-Latino communities throughout the region. The American University, in association with law schools in Bolivia, Chile, México and Venezuela, promoted innovative programs to develop human rights curricula and the training of human rights practitioners. Organizations such as the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) and Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS) promoted and defended human rights in the Andean region and Argentina and Paraguay. The Institute of Press and Society (IPYS) used its wide network of media monitors throughout the region to protect freedom of expression and journalists.