Classificação de Regimes Políticos na América Latina: um estudo comparado das principais plataformas de mensuração

Abstract

In Latin America, most countries have an intermediate ranking in relation to the quality of their democracies. The research presented an innovative form of comparative analysis of political regimes in Latin America. Following pioneering studies, our innovation is methodological. Our main objective was, based on the construction of an objective concept of democracy, to draw a standardized form of comparison between the regimes in the region. For this, we adopted the quantitative method of analysis of statistical data retrieved from the main research institutes for measuring political regimes, these: The Economist Intelligence Unit (Democracy Index), the Varieties of Democracy Institute (V-DEM), and Freedom House. The research resulted in a trichotomous scale (democracy, semi-democracy or authoritarianism) of the analyzed regimes, with the standardization of data in the statistical averages of the three data analysis platforms in the three institutes, in which the countries were highlighted in their democratic qualities. There was a high correlation between the results, with emphasis on the greater correlation between the institutes of the Democracy Index and Freedom House as being more associated and the V-DEM as being more careful in the country analyses. Thus, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Chile were identified as the most democratic. Most countries are in an intermediate or gray zone between one regime and another (semi-democratic or semi-authoritarian). And Cuba, Venezuela and Haiti as the least democratic or even authoritarian regimes.