Can a rise of leftist leaders bring real change to Latin America? | The Stream

Earlier this month Chile swore in a new president, former student protest leader, Gabriel Boric. The 36-year-old’s inauguration is being seen as part of a new pink tide sweeping across Latin America as more and more leftist politicians come into power.

Boric, who considers himself a libertarian-socialist, was elected for his ambitious progressive platform, which pushes for environmental regulation and stresses gender and racial equality.

Later this year, voters in Colombia and Brazil will choose a new president and left-wing candidates are currently ahead in the polls in both countries.

But can an increase in leftist leaders bring sweeping social change to the region? Some pundits say probably not, because not all liberals share the same values, particularly around social issues like abortion and gay rights. And many worry that moving too far left could crack the door open for the authoritarian right to barrel back through.

On this episode of The Stream we take a look at the leftist politics playing out in Latin America and ask if this historic shift will bring about long-lasting change.

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