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Articles

Vol. 43 No. 2 (2023)

Peru 2022: Democratic Collapse, Social Estallido and Authoritarian Transition

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-090x2023005000116
Submitted
August 23, 2023
Published
2023-09-12 — Updated on 2024-04-23
Versions

Abstract

This article analyzes the political situation in Peru in 2022, focusing on the state of democ­racy through an analysis that combines structural and conjunctural factors. The argument is that the cyclical confrontation between the Executive and Legislative powers –noticeable since 2016— resulted in a victory of the Legislative that led to an imbalance of powers in favor of Congress. This altered not only the 200-year-old tradition of presidentialism in the country, but also the fundamental principles of a democracy reinaugurated in 2001. The estallido emerged as a reaction and accentuated both the delegitimization of the gov­ernment and of the regime, as a whole. The instauration of an authoritarian government deepened the confrontation. In this way, the country entered an authoritarian transition with uncertain results.