Change at the ballot box

Latin Ame­rica faces an intense elec­to­ral calen­dar in 2018, in which the votes of the middle clas­ses and the millen­ni­als will be deci­sive. Bra­zil will decide whet­her to give Lula anot­her chance in Octo­ber. If so, the country’s influ­ence will push the con­ti­nent to the left. The pre­si­den­tial elec­tion in Vene­zu­ela is also set for Octo­ber. Maduro is looking for ree­lec­tion. In his favour is a divi­ded oppo­si­tion. Against him is a social and eco­no­mic cri­sis. The Colom­bi­ans will have voted in May, in an elec­tion that will mea­sure sup­port for the rein­ven­ted FARC guer­ri­lla move­ment. Meanw­hile, Cuba will have appoin­ted a Nati­o­nal Assembly that will cho­ose a suc­ces­sor to Raúl Cas­tro in a sce­na­rio that does not pro­mise any deep-sea­ted change.