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Natalia Cerecedo

Latin American Politicians: A Short List

Updated: Apr 17, 2021



Mexico

  • Politician’s name: Andrés Manuel López Obrador, 65th President of the Mexican United States

  • Country’s political system: Democracy

  • Current Political Party: National Regeneration Movement (MORENA)

  • Political position: center-left to left wing

  • Politician’s Ideologies: Social Democracy, Left-wing Populism, Humanism, Reformism

  • Assumed office: December 1st, 2018

  • Politician’s history in politics: Since he started, he dedicates to get to know the small towns. He joined the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) from 1976 to 1989. Later became a member of the Democratic Revolution Party, PRD (1989-2012) with which he became the mayor in the Federal District, now called Mexico City, from December 2000 to July 2005. He was recognized as the second best mayor in the World while he had that title. He campaigned for the presidency twice, before winning around 63% of the votes the third time in 2018, after founding MORENA. He’s government focuses on “transformation”, anti-corruption and solidarity, as he says in his daily morning conferences. AMLO is the 4th most supported leader with 64% of approval, and 2nd place in Latinamerica, according to the World Mayor 2004.


Guatemala

  • Politician’s name: Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla, 51st President of Guatemala

  • Country’s political system: Democracy

  • Politician’s Political Party: Vamos (“Let’s go” in English)

  • Political position: center-right to right

  • Politician’s ideologies: Conservatism, Economic Liberalism, Anti same-sex marriage and abortion,

  • Assumed office: January 14, 2020

  • Politician’s history in politics: Leader of the political party Vamos since 2017. He’s run four times for the presidency with four different parties. Thanks to his experience as prisons director since 2006, he has a “tough-on-crime image”, according to The Washington Post, which helped him win.


Belize

  • Politician’s name: John Antonio Briceño, 5th Prime Minister of Belize

  • Country’s political system: Democracy

  • Politician’s Political Party: People’s United Party

  • Political position: center-left

  • Politician’s ideologies: Conservatism, Economic Liberalism

  • First day in office: November 12, 2020

  • Politician’s history in politics: He studied business administration at the University of Texas. Leader of Her Majesty’s Most Loyal Opposition from 2016 to 2020. He says to be able to “fix” Belize. He was also minister of natural resources and foreign trade. Belize voted for Johnny in 2020 after 12 years of being under the power of Dean Barrow, from the United Democratic Party. His campaign focused on stimulating the economy, promising land for every citizen and creating jobs.


El Salvador

  • Politician’s name: Nayib Armando Bukele Ortiz, 46th President of Salvador

  • Politician’s Political Party: Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA)

  • Political position: center-right

  • Politician’s ideologies: Social conservatism, Economical liberalism, Populism, Anti same-sex marriage and abortion.

  • First day in office: June 1st, 2019

  • Politician’s history in politics: By 18 he ran his own company and by 30 started his political career. He was the mayor of the Salvador’s capital from 2015 to 2018. His election was the first to beat the two parties that had only been in power in 30 years, having 53% of the votes. He’s been Mayor twice in Nuevo Cuscatlan and San Salvador, the capital of Salvador. He joined the FMLN (Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front) party, but soon abandoned it because they didn’t want him to run for the presidency. Social media helped in his campaign, reaching the younger generations. Bukele is the leader number 1 worldwide with 71% of approval.


Honduras

  • Politician’s name: Juan Orlando Hernandez, 55th president of Honduras

  • Country’s political system: Democracy

  • Politician’s Political Party: Honduras' National Party

  • Political position: right wing

  • Politician’s ideologies: National conservatism, Nationalism, Economic Liberalism, Anti abortion and same-sex marriage, supported Trump’s anti-immigration policies

  • First day in office: January 27th, 2014

  • Politician’s history in politics: Studied public administration at the State University New York at Albany. Was elected as the head of National Congress in 2010. He campaigned for the presidency in 2013, where he won by 250,00 votes. He’s been accused more than once for being corrupt and for being involved in drug trafficking. 2021 will be his last year in power, as he decided not to lead the country anymore.


Nicaragua

  • Politician’s name: Jose Daniel Ortega Saavedra, 58th and 62nd President of Nicaragua

  • Country’s political system: Democracy

  • Politician’s Political Party: Sandinista National Liberation Front

  • Political position: Left

  • First day in office: July 18th, 1979

  • Politician’s history in politics: He’s been Nicaragua’s president twice, first time from 1985 to 1990 winning almost 67% of the total votes in the 1984 election. The second time since 2007, winning the 38%, majority of votes. In 1963, he was arrested for urban resistance and imprisoned in 1967. When he was released, he was exiled to Cuba where he was trained by Fidel Castro on Marxism-Leninism. After the Nicaraguan Revolution in the 60’s and 70’s, he pushed a program for wealth distribution, land reform, and more benefits for the people.

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