After decades of neoliberal politics an increasing number of countries in Latin-America embrace the left, and step by step, new type of socialism is emerging.

The new modern socialism can be seen as a reaction against the US-friendly, neoliberal politics that have dominated the countries in the region the last 25 years. National sovereignity and alternatives to neoliberalism are key issues in the new Latin-American politics.

The so-called socialist wave Latin-America began in 1998 with the election of Hugo Chavez as president in Venezuela. Several Latin-American countries and cities have later embraced the left, among them Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile. The trend is expected to reach other countries in the region. Whether we can talk about a socialist wave or not is yet to be revealed.

Much of the critique against the regime changes is directed at what many people perceive as a populist policy. New leaders often gain power due to frustration and resentment against the former regimes. There have been tendencies to expand the executive powers of the leaders. Even though this is achieved by democratic means, it is not necessarily good for the fate of democracy.

How do the people of Latin-America experience the political change? And what will happen to their relations to the rest of the world? In collaboration with International days.

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