Democracy without Political Parties

Abstract

Although the actions carried out by his government during its first six months in office refute it, the election of Ollanta Humala to the presidency of Peru last year seemed to reaffirm the tendency towards authoritarian populism that can be noted in Latin America since the closing years of the past century. Unquestionably, his initial governmental agenda indicated a larger, stronger role for government, one more involved in running the economy – vertically – similar to the style of Hugo Chávez in Venezuela, Evo Morales in Bolivia, and Cristina Kirchner in Argentina.