Wiki-constitutionalism is a neologism coined by political analyst Daniel Lansberg-Rodriguez in a 2010 article for The New Republic . The term describes the phenomenon in which national governments, particularly in Latin America, rewrite their constitutions completely every few years, a habit which Lansberg-Rodriguez argues usually leads to overly strengthened executives as other branches of government will lack "the institutional legitimacy, memory, relationships, and mandate necessary to govern independently." [1] The term itself is an amalgam of constitution and the "ever-morphing articles on the open-source database Wikipedia." Lansberg-Rodriguez' article was later recommended for reading by The New York Times . [2]
The principal evidence cited for the existence of "Wiki-constitutionalism" is the sheer number of constitutions which have existed in Latin America when compared with other regions of the globe. If one looks at fully restructured rewrites (as opposed to amendments), "the Dominican Republic has had 32 separate constitutions since its independence in 1821. Venezuela follows close behind with 26, Haiti has had 24, Ecuador 20, and Bolivia recently passed its seventeenth" [1] and "over half of the 21 Latin American nations have had at least ten constitutions while, in the rest of the world, only Thailand (17), France (16), Greece (13), and Poland (10) have reached double digits." [1]
The original piece is highly critical of leaders such as Hugo Chávez, Rafael Correa and Evo Morales who have allegedly helped prolong a self-perpetuating cycle of constitutional attrition by pushing new constitutions packaged with "ever-longer lists of promises and rights alongside greater executive functions", [3] resulting in constitutions which are "not only the shortest-lived, but also among the longest in the world." [3] Bolivia's and Ecuador's constitutions have 411 and 444 articles, respectively, and "read like laundry lists of guaranteed rights, such as access to mail and telephones; guarantees for culture, identity, and dignity; and shorter work-weeks." [3]
After an unauthorized and inaccurate Spanish translation of the article began circulating in May 2010, controversy erupted in the Dominican press over Wiki-constitutionalism and whether the mention of Dominican President Leonel Fernández alongside Hugo Chávez, Rafael Correa, Evo Morales and Colombian president Álvaro Uribe as "attempting to tear up and revise their constitutionally mandated term limits" [3] was tantamount to an accusation of his being a dictator. [4] [5] Ramon Morel Cerda, the former head of the Supreme Electoral Council for the Dominican Republic discussed the controversy on June 7, 2010, in an opinion piece for the "Hoy" Newspaper. [6]
A sash is a large and usually colorful ribbon or band of material worn around the human body, either draping from one shoulder to the opposing hip and back up, or else encircling the waist. The sash around the waist may be worn in daily attire, but the sash from shoulder to hip is worn on ceremonial occasions only. Ceremonial sashes are also found in a V-shaped format, draping straight from both shoulders down, intersecting and forming an angle over the chest or abdomen.
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Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna is a Dominican lawyer, academic, and was the 50th and 52nd President of the Dominican Republic from 1996 to 2000 and from 2004 to 2012. From 2016 until 2020, he was the President of the EU–LAC Foundation.
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The Presidency of Evo Morales began on January 22, 2006 when Evo Morales was inaugurated as the 80th President of Bolivia, following his victory in the 2005 general election, where he won 53.7% of the vote, defeating Jorge Quiroga, Samuel Doria Medina, and several other candidates. Morales increased taxation on the hydrocarbon industry to bolster social spending, emphasising projects to combat illiteracy, poverty, racism, and sexism. Vocally criticizing neoliberalism and reducing Bolivia's dependence on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, his administration oversaw strong economic growth while following a policy termed "Evonomics" which sought to move from a liberal economic approach to a mixed economy. Scaling back U.S. influence in the country, he built relationships with leftist governments in the Latin American pink tide and signed Bolivia into the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas. Attempting to moderate the left-indigenous activist community, his administration also opposed the right-wing autonomist demands of Bolivia's eastern provinces. Winning a recall referendum in 2008, he instituted a new constitution that established Bolivia as a plurinational state and was re-elected in 2009. His second term witnessed the continuation of leftist policies and Bolivia's joining of the Bank of the South and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States; he was again reelected in the 2014 general election. Following the disputed 2019 general election and the ensuing unrest, Morales resigned and flew to Mexico where he had been granted political asylum.
Néstor Kirchner, former President of Argentina, died of heart failure on the morning of 27 October 2010 at the Jose Formenti hospital in El Calafate, Santa Cruz Province at the age of 60. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. His wife, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, was present with him when he died. He was expected to run for president in 2011.
Aló Presidente was a long-running, unscripted talk show hosted by former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. It was broadcast on Venezuelan state television and radio channels, including Venezolana de Televisión, on Sundays from 11:00am until mid/late afternoon. The show was a powerful tool in promoting Chavista socialist ideals of the Bolivarian Revolution to supporters in Venezuela and beyond. Many editions were filmed outdoors before large audiences, commonly featuring a local farm, factory, school, hospital, housing project or other public investment. Although Chávez typically appeared on television several times a week, Aló Presidente was his opportunity to reach most families on their day off.
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The following is a list of reactions to the 2019 Bolivian political crisis.
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