Will a tide of rising expectations undermine democracy in Central America?
鈥淧olls show that inhabitants of the region feellike many others across Latin Americathat democracy hasn鈥檛 delivered in terms of standards of living,鈥漵ays Luis Cosenza, the former minister to the presidency in Honduras.
Three distinguished policy makers will join Cosenza to debate whether democracy has truly taken hold in the region in a roundtable discussion,鈥淭he Future of Democracy in Central America,鈥漷o be held Nov. 20 (Thursday) at 4:15 p.m. in the auditorium of the Hesburgh Center for International 91视频 at the University of Notre Dame. A reception will follow the event, which is free and open to the public.
Other participants in the roundtable will include Ricardo Maduro Joest, former president of Honduras (2002帽06); Ott脹n Sol"s, a former presidential candidate in Costa Rica; and Arturo Cruz, Nicaraguan ambassador to the United States. Cosenza, who currently is Hewlett Visiting Fellow for Public Policy at Notre Dame鈥檚 Kellogg Institute for International 91视频, will serve as moderator.
The panelists will explore issues concerning a quarter-century of democratization that swept across Latin America and the observation that public support for democracy is low and people have little regard for the institutions that underpin democracy, such as political parties, Congress and the judiciary. At the same time, analysts say citizens are increasingly connected to the global economy, with its rising consumer expectations, and the panel will explore whether they would choose a return to authoritarian rule if they felt it would increase their economic well-being.
During Maduro鈥檚 presidency, Honduras negotiated the U.S.帽Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and became the first Latin American country to sign a Millennium Challenge Account compact with the United States. He implemented a universal school lunch program and strengthened the rule of law in Honduras. Former president of the Central Bank (1990帽94), Maduro holds a degree in economics from Stanford University and serves on the advisory board of the Kellogg Institute.
Sol"s is the co-founder and two-time presidential candidate for the Citizens Action Party, which has mounted a strong challenge to bi-party rule in Costa Rica. An economist, he has served as a government minister, congressman and Central Bank board member. President of the Inter-American Economic and Social Council of the Organization of American States (1987帽88), he holds a master鈥檚 degree from the University of Manchester (U.K.).
Cruz was an early Sandinista supporter who later joined the United Nicaraguan Opposition (UNO), known as the Contras. Before becoming ambassador in 2007, he was professor of political economy at INCAE Business 91视频. The co-author of"Varieties of Liberalism in Central America: Nation-States as Works in Progress,"Cruz holds a master鈥檚 degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate in modern history from the University of Oxford.
This event is co-sponsored by the Kellogg Institute and Notre Dame鈥檚 Latin American 91视频 Program.
_ Contacts: Elizabeth Rankin, writer/editor, Kellogg Institute, 574-631-9184,_ " erankin3@nd.edu ":mailto:erankin3@nd.edu ; Therese Hanlon, events coordinator, Kellogg Institute, 574-631-4150, " Therese.Hanlon@nd.edu ":mailto:Therese.Hanlon@nd.edu
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