No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeDemocracyEconomist Intelligence Unit: Costa Rica and Uruguay are the only 'full' democracies...

Economist Intelligence Unit: Costa Rica and Uruguay are the only ‘full’ democracies in Latin America

An investigation by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) concluded that in Latin America, only Uruguay and Costa Rica ranked in the region’s “full democracies” category, described as when countries respect civil liberties and representative governance.

The Democracy Index 2014 states that Latin America currently “is unable to progress in democratization,” with the exception of Uruguay and Costa Rica.

The report evaluated 165 countries using a 0 to 10 scale in five categories: electoral processes and pluralism, functioning of government, political participation, political culture and civil liberties.

The final results were used to classify countries into one of four categories: full democracies, imperfect democracies, hybrid models and authoritarian regimes.

Costa Rica placed 24th with an index of 8.03, behind Uruguay, which ranked 17th at 8.17. At the bottom of the list are Cuba and Haiti, with low rates of 3.52 and 3.82, respectively. The EIU considers them authoritarian regimes.

Chile, Brazil, Panama, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, El Salvador and Paraguay ranked in the second category as “flawed democracies.” Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela entered the rank of “hybrid regimes.”

The investigation concluded that the democratic culture in Latin America in general can be considered as weak.

“Despite progress in Latin American democratization in recent decades, many countries in the region have fragile democracies. Levels of political participation are generally low and democratic cultures are weak. There has also been significant backsliding in recent years in some areas, such as media freedoms,” the report states.

Globally, Norway topped the list as a full democracy with an index of 9.93, followed by Sweden and Iceland at 9.73 and 9.58, respectively. Canada ranked 7th with 9.08, while the United States was 19th with 8.11.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Moves Forward with Crypto Regulation to Combat Financial Crime

Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly has advanced a landmark bill targeting the regulation of virtual asset service providers (VASPs), aiming to bolster the nation’s defenses...

Costa Rica to Launch Electric Air Taxis for Sustainable Travel in Guanacaste

Costa Rica is poised to revolutionize its transportation landscape with the introduction of electric air taxis, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional ground travel...

Honduras Seizes $2 Million, Gold-Plated Pistols in Drug Raid

Honduran authorities struck a blow against drug cartels, seizing over $2 million in cash, war rifles, and flashy gold-plated pistols in Copán, a northwest...

El Salvador Slams Paris Fashion Show Inspired by Cecot Mega-Prison Inmates

The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, joked on Saturday that he could send inmates from his mega-prison to France, after they were represented...

Costa Rica Pushes USA to the Brink but Falls in Penalty Heartbreak

If you just caught the end of the USA vs. Costa Rica Gold Cup quarterfinal, you probably feel like you need another cup of...

Costa Rica Court Moves to Lift President Chaves’ Immunity

Costa Rica’s Supreme Court of Justice on Tuesday asked Congress — for the first time in the history of this country with a well-established...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica