The 2023 report produced by the Latinobarómetro Corporation establishes that Latin America is going through a process of democratic recession, understood as a significant reduction in the level of support shown by this political system in the various countries of the region, given the increase in poverty and inequality highlighted by social conflict keeping the growing demands of the population dissatisfied. Added to this is the disillusionment people experience with representative democracy, a scenario in which the authorities, instead of working effectively for the common good, act – in many cases – on the basis of personal or group interests. As a result, there is evidence of an open disconnect or a widening gap between the rulers and the ruled. Hence the pronounced degree of dissatisfaction with democracy, which in our case is 87%, and is surpassed only by Peru with 91%.

In Ecuador, according to this study, only 37% of respondents believe that democracy is better than any other form of government, which is well below the regional average of 48%; Furthermore, 37% are indifferent when allowing the possibility of a democratic or non-democratic regime. Add to this the growing segment of 19% of Ecuadorians who think an authoritarian government might even be acceptable. Worryingly, up to 50% of Ecuadorians would support a military government, which is above the Latin American average of 35%.

Can democracy function without parties? 59% of Ecuadorians believe this, the Latinobarómetro report reveals

There is a clear scenario of a democratic recession, where, in addition, political parties have lost their north, degrading to the state of commodities, that is, mere electoral companies; it favors the phenomena of authoritarianism and neo-populism of all colors that appear here and there, supported by personalities generally represented by ‘enlightened’ or predestined people who feed on inflated egos and pathological social resentment, which conditions the quality of the regime, even more, when checks and balances that characterize a healthy democracy do not work, and government action becomes clumsy and opaque because it is polluted by rampant corruption.

(…) Up to 50% of Ecuadorians would support a military government… above the Latin American average…

Consequently, in this state of weakness of Latin American democracy, the principal loses its hierarchy, based on the fact that those who hold political and economic power act on the basis of their own petty interests, erasing the line that clearly demarcates what is public. and private.

So much so that the Latinobarómetro report clearly answers the question: ‘…Who rules in Latin American democracies? They send money, personality and political power. The people, who should be sovereign, command the least. Polis has become diluted and there is no demo…’.

However, i beyond this gloomy panorama, the defense of democracy becomes vital and essential, since this political system is still preferable to any other form of government. (OR)