Although the Institutional Quality Index gave poor marks to several Latin American countries, Uruguay is in first place in the region.
The 2022 Institutional Quality Index (ICI), prepared annually by the Latin American Liberal Network (RELIAL) together with the Fundación Libertad y Progreso, reveals that most countries in the region are experiencing a deterioration in their political institutions. Uruguay (19), Costa Rica (23) and Chile (29) are the ones that come out best. Nicaragua (157) and Venezuela (175) are at the bottom of the list.
"With the exception of Uruguay and Chile, which are still holding up, and others that are making very slow progress, institutional quality in Latin America is declining, especially in countries with populist regimes. This is basically related to the problems arising from the lack of a true rule of law," Bertha Pantoja, president of the Latin American Liberal Network (RELIAL), told DW from Mexico.
The ICI includes two main sub-indexes: "political institutions" and "market institutions." Each country's score reflects how secure and protected the rights of its inhabitants are. The 2022 ICI is shaped by the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Each country's response to the health crisis reflected the strengths and weaknesses of its political and economic system.
The report’s introduction also cites The Economist’s Democracy Index. It claims that nearly 80 percent of Latin America’s population lives under democratic rule, but only 1,3 percent under full democracy: Uruguay and Costa Rica score 9 and 8 points respectively, out of a maximum of 10, when assessing the quality of their democracies. In 2022, the decline in the quality of democracy worldwide was the largest since the indicator was created in 2006. And its weakest point is Latin America, with the largest decline of all the regions in the world.
Source: DW
