Crisis of U.S. Democracy Emboldens Latin American Populists, Says Rights Chief
Crisis of U.S. Democracy Emboldens Latin American Populists, Says Rights Chief
José Miguel Vivanco's "word has been extremely credible because he is not willing to shade his views based on the politics," said AS/COA's Eric Farnsworth to Financial Times.
Authoritarian and populist presidents in Latin America have been encouraged by a weakening of democratic values in the US, according to a leading human rights chief, citing the refusal of Republican voters to accept Donald Trump’s election defeat.
José Miguel Vivanco, who is stepping down as head of Human Rights Watch’s Americas division after 28 years, said the Trump phenomenon “has provided ammunition and inspiration for the wrong side in Latin America.”…
“His impact on the region has been profound,” said Eric Farnsworth, a former US state department official who is now vice-president at the Council of the Americas. “His word has been extremely credible because he is not willing to shade his views based on the politics of the country in question…When he says something, you have to take it seriously.”…
