Democracy in Latin America and the
May 24, 2021
Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices
Carla Y. Davis-Castro
This report provides a regional snapshot of the political climate in Latin America and the Research Librarian
Caribbean, based on the U.S. Department of State’s description of each country’s

political system and selected nongovernmental indices that measure democracy trends
worldwide. Using tables and graphs to il ustrate regional trends, this report provides a

snapshot of democracy indicators from the following sources: (1) the U.S. Department
of State’s 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices; (2) Bertelsmann Stiftung’s 2020 Bertelsmann
Transformation Index (BTI); (3) the Economist Intel igence Unit’s (EIU’s) Democracy Index 2020; (4) Freedom
House’s Freedom in the World 2021; and (5) the Varieties of Democracy Institute’s (V-DEM’s) Liberal
Democracy Index in its Democracy Report 2021. Additional resources appear at the end of the report.
Congressional Research Service

Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices

Introduction
For decades, U.S. policy has broadly reflected the view that the spread of democracy around the
world is favorable to U.S. interests. The current trajectory of democracy around the world is an
issue of interest for Congress, which has general y supported U.S. democracy promotion efforts.
This report provides a regional snapshot of the political climate in Latin America and the
Caribbean, based on the U.S. Department of State’s description of each country’s political system
and selected nongovernmental (NGO) indices that measure democracy trends worldwide.
For additional information on democracy in the global context, see CRS Report R45344, Global
Trends in Democracy: Background, U.S. Policy, and Issues for Congress, by Michael A. Weber.
For related information about democracy in Latin American and the Caribbean, see the following
products:
 CRS Report R46781, Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy and Key
Issues in the 117th Congress, coordinated by Mark P. Sullivan
 CRS In Focus IF10460, Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy Overview,
by Mark P. Sullivan;
 CRS Report R46514, U.S. Foreign Assistance to Latin America and the
Caribbean: FY2021 Appropriations, by Peter J. Meyer and Rachel L. Martin;
 CRS Report 98-684, Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders
and Elections, by Carla Y. Davis-Castro; and
 CRS Report R45733, Combating Corruption in Latin America: Congressional
Considerations, coordinated by June S. Beittel.
CRS also publishes reports on specific Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Democracy Indices and Source Notes
This report compiles information from the U.S. State Department and data from four
nongovernmental (NGO) indices, which are each discussed briefly below. CRS does not endorse
the methodology or accuracy of any particular democracy index. (For a discussion about
definitions of democracy and critiques of democracy indices, see CRS Report R45344, Global
Trends in Democracy: Background, U.S. Policy, and Issues for Congress, by Michael A. Weber.)
The following indices are discussed below: (1) Bertelsmann Stiftung’s 2020 Bertelsmann
Transformation Index (BTI); (2) the Economist Intel igence Unit’s (EIU’s) Democracy Index
2020; (3) Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2021; and (4) the Varieties of Democracy
Institute’s (V-DEM’s) Liberal Democracy Index in its Democracy Report 2021.
Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI)
Bertelsmann Stiftung, a private foundation based in Germany, has published the Bertelsmann
Transformation Index (BTI) biannual y since 2006. Key regional findings and country reports are
available in English (BTI publishes the full regional report in German). BTI 2020 evaluates the
quality of democracy, a market economy, and political management in 137 developing and
transition countries. For political transformation specifical y, BTI ranks countries using five
criteria: (1) stateness, (2) political participation, (3) rule of law, (4) stability of democratic
Congressional Research Service

1

link to page 6 Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices

institutions, and (5) political and social integration.1 The political transformation indicators also
determine country classification: democracy in consolidation, defective democracy, highly
defective democracy, moderate autocracy, and hardline autocracy.2 BTI evaluates al Central and
South American nations. With the exception of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Trinidad
and Tobago, and Jamaica, BTI does not evaluate Caribbean nations. In its global report, BTI notes
that “in some Latin American countries, the degree to which autocratic alternatives are clearly
rejected has diminished significantly. Strong declines in the scores assessing approval of
democracy, though at different levels, can be seen in countries such as Brazil, Costa Rica, the
Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Panama” but the report also highlights the opposite: “two Latin
American countries have shown that the path of backsliding is just as reversible as that of
progressive democratization,” in reference to Ecuador and Colombia.3
Figure 1 shows the global rank and classification of al Central and South American and
Caribbean countries according to the Political Transformation Rank, a component of the 2020
Bertelsmann Stiftung Transformation Index (BTI).

1 Bertelsmann Stiftung, “Methodology,” accessed May 14, 2021, available at https://www.bti-
project.org/en/methodology.html. Also see https://www.bti-project.org/en/index/political-transformation.html.
2 Bertelsmann Stiftung, “Political T ransformation,” accessed May 14, 2021, at https://www.bti-
project.org/en/index/political-transformation.html. BT I uses seven threshold values to mark minimum requirements for
a democracy: (1) free and fair elections, (2) effective power to govern, (3) association/assembly rights, (4) freedom of
expression, (5) separation of powers, (6) civil rights, and (7) monopoly on the use of force and basic administration.
BT I classifies a country as an autocracy if any one of seven political transformation indicators falls short of the relevant
threshold. BT I considers failing states autocracies.
3 Sabine Donner, BTI 2020: Resistance to democratic regression and authoritarian rule is growing, Global Findings
Dem ocracy, Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2020, at https://www.bti-project.org/content/en/reports/global-report-d/
global_findings_democracy_2020_EN.pdf.
Congressional Research Service

2

Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices

Figure 1. BTI's 2020 Political Transformation Global Ranking of
Latin American and Caribbean Countries

Source: Created by CRS using Bertelsmann Stiftung’s 2020 Transformation Index. According to BTI’s analysis,
no Latin American or Caribbean countries fel into the category of highly defective democracies.
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)’s Democracy Index
The Economist Intel igence Unit (EIU), based in London and New York, has produced a
democracy index since 2006. The current report provides an annual snapshot of the state of
democracy for 165 independent states and two territories.4 The EIU classifies countries as full
democracies, flawed democracies, hybrid regimes, or authoritarian regimes based on an
aggregate score of 60 indicators in five categories: (1) electoral process and pluralism, (2) civil
liberties, (3) the functioning of government, (4) political participation, and (5) political culture. 5
EIU evaluates al Central and South American nations. With the exceptions of Cuba, the
Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, EIU does not

4 T he Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) did not produce a democracy index report covering 2007 or 2009.
5 EIU, Democracy Index 2020: In sickness and in health? 2020, at https://www.eiu.com/n/campaigns/democracy-
index-2020/, p. 56-57. EIU defines terms as: full dem ocracies are countries where the “ functioning of government is
satisfactory. Media are independent and diverse.... effective checks and balances.... judiciary is independent and
judicial decisions are enforced.... only limited problems.” Flawed democracies have “free and fair elections ... basic
civil liberties are respected. However, there are significant weaknesses in other aspects of democracy, including
problems in governance, an underdeveloped political culture and low levels of political participation.” Hybrid regimes
have “substantial election irregularities.... government pressure on opposition parties and candidates.... corruption tends
to be widespread and the rule of law is weak. Civil society is weak.... and the judiciary is not independent.” In
authoritarian regim es, “ state political pluralism is absent or heavily circumscribed.... some formal institutions of
democracy may exist, but these have little substance.... elections ... are not free and fair.... disregard for abuses and
infringements of civil liberties.... repression of criticism of the government and pervasive censorship. T here is no
independent judiciary.”
Congressional Research Service

3

link to page 7

Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices

evaluate Caribbean nations. According to the EIU’s Democracy Index 2020, the Latin America
and Caribbean region’s overal score went down for the fifth year in a row from 6.13 in 2019 to
6.09 in 2020 (on a 0 to 10 scale).6 The three countries in the region classified in 2020 as full
democracies are Chile, Costa Rica, and Uruguay. EIU’s Democracy Index 2020 identified three
countries in the region as authoritarian regimes: Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.7
Figure 2 shows the global rank and classification of Central and South American and Caribbean
countries according to the EIU’s Democracy Index 2020.
Figure 2. EIU Democracy Index 2020 Global Ranking for
Latin American and Caribbean Countries

Source: Created by CRS using EIU’s Democracy Index 2020.
Freedom House’s Freedom in the World
Freedom House is a U.S.-based NGO that conducts research on democracy, political freedom,
and human rights worldwide. It has published a global report on political rights and civil liberties,
now cal ed Freedom in the World, annual y since 1972.8 The 2020 report covers 195 countries
and 15 territories. Freedom House assigns each country 0 to 4 points on 25 different indicators—
10 indicators for political rights and 15 indicators for civil liberties—for a total of up to 100
points. The calculation equal y weights a country’s aggregate political rights and civil liberties

6 EIU, Democracy Index 2020: In sickness and in health? 2020, at https://www.eiu.com/n/campaigns/democracy-
index-2020/, p. 36.
7 Ibid.
8 Until 1978, the annual report was titled The Comparative Study of Freedom.
Congressional Research Service

4

link to page 9 Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices

scores then determines whether it has an overal status of free, partly free, or not free.9 Freedom
House evaluates al Central and South American and Caribbean nations. Freedom House’s report
covering 2020 found that the top countries with one-year democratic declines included El
Salvador and the top countries with largest democratic declines over the last decade included
Venezuela, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.10 Peru’s status went from “free” to “partly free” due to
“due to extended political clashes between the presidency and Congress since 2017 that have
heavily disrupted governance and anticorruption efforts, strained the country’s constitutional
order, and resulted in an irregular succession of four presidents within three years.”11 The
countries with the largest one-year democratic gains included Bolivia and Chile. The report’s
analysis is based on data that are detailed in full on the Freedom House’s report web page.12
Freedom House’s webpage “Countries,” lists the current freedom scores of al countries.13
Figure 3 shows the aggregate scores of al Central and South American and Caribbean countries
according to the relevant Freedom House country web pages for Freedom in the World 2021.
Countries receive 0 to 4 points on 25 indicators (10 political rights indicators and 15 civil liberties
indicators) for a total of up to 100 points.

9 T he methodology is derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. “T he political rights questions are
grouped into three subcategories: Electoral Process (3 questions), Political Pluralism and Participation (4), and
Functioning of Government (3). T he civil liberties questions are grouped into four subcategories: Freedom of
Expression and Belief (4 questions), Associational and Organizational Rights (3), Rule of Law (4), and Personal
Autonomy and Individual Rights (4).” T he methodology questions and table for calculating country status are listed
online at Freedom House, “ Freedom in the World Research Methodology,” accessed May 13, 2021, at
https://freedomhouse.org/reports/freedom-world/freedom-world-research-methodology.
10 Sarah Repucci and Amy Slipowitz, Freedom in the World 2021: Democracy Under Siege, Freedom House, 20210, at
https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2021-02/FIW2021_World_02252021_FINAL-web-upload.pdf, p. 6 and p.
13.
11 Ibid., p.26.
12 Freedom House, “Freedom in the World: About the report,” accessed May 13, 2021, at
https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world.
13 Freedom House, “Countries and T erritories,” accessed April 19, 2021, at
https://freedomhouse.org/countries/freedom-world/scores.
Congressional Research Service

5

Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices

Figure 3. Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2021 Aggregate Scores for
Latin American and Caribbean Countries

Source: Created by CRS using Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2021.
Varieties of Democracy Institute (V-Dem)’s Liberal Democracy
Index
The Varieties of Democracy Institute (V-Dem), headquartered at the University of Gothenburg in
Sweden, collects democracy data through its research team in collaboration with country experts.
In 2017, V-Dem published its first global report measuring the status of democracy. V-Dem’s
Democracy Report 2021’s Liberal Democracy Index is based on 71 indicators that capture liberal
Congressional Research Service

6

link to page 11 Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices

and electoral aspects of democracy.14 V-Dem evaluates al Central and South American nations.
V-Dem evaluates a subset of Caribbean nations, namely Barbados, Cuba, the Dominican
Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Based on the “Regimes of
the World” measure, the V-Dem 2021 report grouped 179 countries into four categories: liberal
democracy, electoral democracy, electoral autocracy, and closed autocracy.15 The report notes
that “a few governments in democracies do seem to be using the pandemic to erode democratic
institutions. This risk of pandemic backsliding is high in El Salvador…and to a lesser extent
in…Paraguay.”16 A few countries have advanced according to the index, such as Ecuador, while
V-Dem found that other countries in the region have become more autocratic, including Brazil
and Bolivia.17
Figure 4 shows the liberal democracy index rank and classification of al Central and South
American and Caribbean countries according to the Varieties of Democracy Institute's Democracy
Report 2021.

14 Nazifa Alizada, Rowan Cole, Lisa Gastaldi, Sandra Grahn, Sebastian Hellmeier, Palina Kolvani, Jean Lachapelle,
Anna Lührmann, Seraphine F. Maerz, Shreeya Pillai, and Staffan I. Lindberg, Dem ocracy Report 2021: Autocratization
Turns Viral, University of Gothenburg Varieties of Democracy Institute, at https://www.v-
dem.net/media/filer_public/74/8c/748c68ad-f224-4cd7-87f9-8794add5c60f/dr_2021_updated.pdf, p. 42. Hereinafter,
V-Dem, Dem ocracy Report 2021.
15 Using its data, V-Dem sorts countries into regime types based on Anna Lührmann, Marcus T annenberg, and Staffan
I. Lindberg, “ Regimes of the World (RoW): Opening New Avenues for the Comparative Study of Political Regimes,”
Politics & Governance, vol. 6, no. 1 (2018), pp. 60-77. T his article states “ that Dahl’s theory of polyarchy (1971, 1998)
provides the most comprehensive and most widely accepted theory of what distinguishes a democracy based on
six…institutional guarantees (elected officials, free and fair elections, freedom of expression, alternative sources of
information, associational autonomy, and inclusive citizenship).” T he article defines democracies as having “ de-facto
multiparty, free and fair elections, and Dahl’s institutional prerequisites minimally fulfilled.” An electoral democracy is
one in which “the rule of law or liberal principles [are] not satisfied” and a liberal democracy is one in which “the rule
of law and liberal principles [are] satisfied.” Autocracies have “no de facto multiparty, or free and fair elections, or
Dahl’s institutional prerequisites not minimally fulfilled.” An electoral autocracy has “ de jure multiparty elections for
the chief executive and the legislature” and a closed autocracy has “no multiparty elections for the chief executive or
the legislature.”
16 V-Dem, Democracy Report 2021, p. 10.
17 V-Dem, Democracy Report 2021, p. 23 and p. 19.
Congressional Research Service

7

Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices

Figure 4. V-Dem Democracy Report 2021's Liberal Democracy Index Rank
for Latin American and Caribbean Countries

Source: Created by CRS using the Varieties of Democracy Institute’s Democracy Report 2021.

Congressional Research Service

8

link to page 13 link to page 16 link to page 17 link to page 4 link to page 5 link to page 6 link to page 8 link to page 10 Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices

Compilation of Democracy Indicators
In the tables below, the country name is followed by parentheses with the nature of the country’s
political system, as described in the U.S. State Department’s 2020 Country Reports on Human
Rights Practices.18 This U.S. government information is included here for comparison with
findings from the democracy indicators published by NGOs.
Table 1 looks at Caribbean countries’ global democracy rankings according to Bertelsmann
Stiftung’s 2020 Transformation Index, EIU’s Democracy Index 2020, Freedom House’s Freedom
in the World 2021, and V-Dem’s Democracy Report 2021. Table 2 compares the same reports for
Mexico and Central America, as does Table 3 for South America.
Each index is based on a unique methodology and the rankings are not necessarily comparable.
For more details on the methodologies, see “Democracy Indices and Source Notes” above. For
term definitions of each index, see footnote 2 for BTI, footnote 5 for EIU, footnote 9 for Freedom
House, and footnote 15 for V-Dem or consult the full reports. Each report evaluates a different
number of countries, so there are missing rankings for some countries. Countries are listed
alphabetical y in each table.

18 U.S. Department of State, 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, March 30, 2021, at
https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/.
Congressional Research Service

9

link to page 15 link to page 15
Table 1. Caribbean: 2020 Democracy Rankings
Bertelsmann Stiftung
Transformation Index
EIU Democracy Index
Freedom House
V-Dem Democracy Report

2020
2020
Freedom in the World 2021
2021
Political
Country
Transfor-
(U.S. State
mation
Liberal
Dept. political
Global
Global
Political
Civil
Democracy
system
Rank (of
Ranka
Regime
Aggregate
Rights
Liberties
Freedom
Index Global
Regime
description)
137)
Status
(of 167)
Type
Score
Score
Score
Status
Rank (of 179)
Typeb
Antigua &
Barbuda
(parliamentary
—
—
—
—
85
33
52
Free
—
—
multiparty
democracy)
Bahamas
(constitutional
—
—
—
—
91
38
53
Free
—
—
parliamentary
democracy)
Barbados
(parliamentary
—
—
—
—
95
38
57
Free
38
(-) Liberal
democracy)
democracy
Belize
(constitutional
parliamentary
—
—
—
—
87
34
53
Free
—
—
democracy)
Cuba
Hardline
Closed
(authoritarian
110
autocracy
140
Authoritarian
13
1
12
Not free
162
autocracy
state)
Dominica
(parliamentary
multiparty
—
—
—
—
93
37
56
Free
—
—
democracy)
CRS-10

link to page 15 link to page 15
Bertelsmann Stiftung
Transformation Index
EIU Democracy Index
Freedom House
V-Dem Democracy Report

2020
2020
Freedom in the World 2021
2021
Political
Country
Transfor-
(U.S. State
mation
Liberal
Dept. political
Global
Global
Political
Civil
Democracy
system
Rank (of
Ranka
Regime
Aggregate
Rights
Liberties
Freedom
Index Global
Regime
description)
137)
Status
(of 167)
Type
Score
Score
Score
Status
Rank (of 179)
Typeb
Dominican
Republic
(representative
41
Defective
63
Flawed
67
26
41
Partly free
95
Electoral
constitutional
democracy
democracy
democracy
democracy)
Grenada
(parliamentary
—
—
—
—
89
37
52
Free
—
—
democracy)
Guyana
(-)
(multiparty
Flawed
—
—
75
Electoral
democracy)
democracy
73
30
43
Free
84
democracy
Haiti
(constitutional
Moderate
Hybrid
Electoral
multiparty
92
autocracy
106
regime
37
15
22
Partly free
120
autocracy
republic)
Jamaica
(constitutional
15
Democracy in
42=
Flawed
80
34
46
Free
35
Electoral
parliamentary
consolidation
democracy
democracy
democracy)
St. Kitts and
Nevis
(parliamentary
multiparty
—
—
—
—
89
35
54
Free
—
—
democracy and
federation)
CRS-11

link to page 15 link to page 15
Bertelsmann Stiftung
Transformation Index
EIU Democracy Index
Freedom House
V-Dem Democracy Report

2020
2020
Freedom in the World 2021
2021
Political
Country
Transfor-
(U.S. State
mation
Liberal
Dept. political
Global
Global
Political
Civil
Democracy
system
Rank (of
Ranka
Regime
Aggregate
Rights
Liberties
Freedom
Index Global
Regime
description)
137)
Status
(of 167)
Type
Score
Score
Score
Status
Rank (of 179)
Typeb
St. Lucia
(parliamentary
multiparty
—
—
—
—
91
37
54
Free
—
—
democracy)
St. Vincent
and the
Grenadines
—
—
—
—
91
36
55
Free
—
—
(parliamentary
multiparty
democracy)
Suriname
(constitutional
Flawed
Electoral
—
—
51
democracy)
democracy
79
34
45
Free
49
democracy
Trinidad &
Tobago
Democracy in
Flawed
(+)
(parliamentary
13
consolidation
41
democracy
82
33
49
Free
43
Electoral
democracy)
democracy
Source: Compiled by CRS using the U.S. State Department’s 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Bertelsmann Stiftung’s 2020 Transformation Index, EIU’s
Democracy Index 2020, Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2021, and the Varieties of Democracy Institute’s Democracy Report 2021.
Notes: Although Belize is located in Central America and Guyana and Suriname are located in South America, al three are members of the Caribbean Commu nity
(CARICOM).
a. EIU’s symbol “=” indicates a tying score or equal rank with another country.
b. V-Dem’s symbol (-) indicates that, taking uncertainty into account, the country could belong to the lower category while (+) signifies that th e country could belong
to the higher category.
CRS-12

link to page 17 link to page 17
Table 2. Mexico and Central America: 2020 Democracy Rankings
Bertelsmann Stiftung
EIU Democracy Index
Freedom House
V-Dem Democracy

Transformation Index 2020
2020
Freedom in the World 2021
Report 2021
Country
Political
Liberal
(U.S. State
Transfor-
Democracy
Dept. political
mation
Global
Political
Civil
Index
system
Global Rank
Ranka
Regime
Aggregate
Rights
Liberties
Freedom
Global Rank
Regime
description)
(of 137)
Status
(of 167)
Type
Score
Score
Score
Status
(of 179)
Type
Costa Rica
(constitutional
8
Democracy in
18=
Ful
91
38
53
Free
4
Liberal
republic)
consolidation
democracy
democracy
El Salvador
(constitutional
Defective
Hybrid
Electoral
multiparty
30
democracy
77
regime
63
30
33
Partly Free
87
democracy
republic)
Guatemala
(constitutional
93
Moderate
97
Hybrid
52
21
31
Partly free
83
Electoral
multiparty
autocracy
regime
democracy
republic)
Honduras
(constitutional
Moderate
Hybrid
Electoral
multiparty
83
autocracy
88
regime
44
19
25
Partly free
122
autocracy
republic)
Mexico
(federal
Defective
Flawed
Electoral
multiparty
59
democracy
72
democracy
61
27
34
Partly free
82
democracy
republic)
Nicaraguab
(constitutional
94
Moderate
120
Authoritarian
30
10
20
Not free
168
Electoral
multiparty
autocracy
autocracy
republic)
CRS-13

link to page 17 link to page 13 link to page 19
Bertelsmann Stiftung
EIU Democracy Index
Freedom House
V-Dem Democracy

Transformation Index 2020
2020
Freedom in the World 2021
Report 2021
Country
Political
Liberal
(U.S. State
Transfor-
Democracy
Dept. political
mation
Global
Political
Civil
Index
system
Global Rank
Ranka
Regime
Aggregate
Rights
Liberties
Freedom
Global Rank
Regime
description)
(of 137)
Status
(of 167)
Type
Score
Score
Score
Status
(of 179)
Type
Panama
(constitutional
Defective
Flawed
Electoral
multiparty
35
democracy
40
democracy
83
35
48
Free
53
democracy
democracy)
Sources: Compiled by CRS using the U.S. State Department’s 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Bertelsmann Stiftung’s 2020 Transformation Index, EIU’s
Democracy Index 2020, Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2021, and the Varieties of Democracy Institute’s (V-Dem) Democracy Report 2021.
Notes: Although Belize is located in Central America, it is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and is listed in Table 1.
a. EIU’s symbol “=” indicates a tying score or equal rank with another country.
b. “Constitutional multiparty republic” is the political system description from the U.S. State Department’s 2018 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nicaragua,
while the 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nicaragua states: “Nicaragua has a highly centralized, authoritarian political system dominated by President
Daniel Ortega Saavedra and his wife, Vice President Rosario Muril o Zambrana. Ortega’s Sandinista National Liberation Front ( FSLN) party exercises total control
over the executive, legislative, judicial, and electoral functions.”
Table 3. South America: 2020 Democracy Rankings
Bertelsmann Stiftung
EIU Democracy Index
Freedom House
V-Dem Democracy Report

Transformation Index 2020
2020
Freedom in the World 2021
2021
Country
Political
Liberal
(U.S. State
Transfor-
Democracy
Dept. political
mation
Global
Political
Civil
Index Global
system
Global Rank
Status
Rank (of
Regime
Aggregate
Rights
Liberties
Freedom
Rank (of
Regime
description)
(of 137)
Index
167)
Type
Score
Score
Score
Status
179)
Typea
Argentina
(federal
Democracy in
Flawed
Electoral
constitutional
16
consolidation
48
democracy
84
35
49
Free
39
democracy
republic)
CRS-14

link to page 19
Bertelsmann Stiftung
EIU Democracy Index
Freedom House
V-Dem Democracy Report

Transformation Index 2020
2020
Freedom in the World 2021
2021
Country
Political
Liberal
(U.S. State
Transfor-
Democracy
Dept. political
mation
Global
Political
Civil
Index Global
system
Global Rank
Status
Rank (of
Regime
Aggregate
Rights
Liberties
Freedom
Rank (of
Regime
description)
(of 137)
Index
167)
Type
Score
Score
Score
Status
179)
Typea
Bolivia
(constitutional
Defective
Hybrid
Electoral
multiparty
41
democracy
94
regime
66
27
39
Partly free
121
autocracy
republic)
Brazil
(constitutional
26
Defective
49
Flawed
74
31
43
Free
56
Electoral
multiparty
democracy
democracy
democracy
republic)
Chile
(constitutional
Democracy in
Ful
(+)
multiparty
6
consolidation
17
democracy
93
38
55
Free
25
Electoral
democracy)
democracy
Colombia
(constitutional
Defective
Flawed
Electoral
multiparty
44
democracy
46
democracy
65
29
36
Partly free
74
democracy
republic)
Ecuador
(constitutional
30
Defective
69
Flawed
67
27
40
Partly free
64
Electoral
multiparty
democracy
democracy
democracy
republic)
Paraguay
(constitutional
Defective
Flawed
Electoral
multiparty
46
democracy
67
democracy
65
28
37
Partly free
80
democracy
republic)
Peru
(constitutional
Defective
Flawed
Electoral
multiparty
49
democracy
57
democracy
71
29
42
Partly free
36
democracy
republic)
CRS-15

link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 13
Bertelsmann Stiftung
EIU Democracy Index
Freedom House
V-Dem Democracy Report

Transformation Index 2020
2020
Freedom in the World 2021
2021
Country
Political
Liberal
(U.S. State
Transfor-
Democracy
Dept. political
mation
Global
Political
Civil
Index Global
system
Global Rank
Status
Rank (of
Regime
Aggregate
Rights
Liberties
Freedom
Rank (of
Regime
description)
(of 137)
Index
167)
Type
Score
Score
Score
Status
179)
Typea
Uruguay
Democracy in
Ful
(-) Liberal
(constitutional
1
consolidation
15
democracy
98
40
58
Free
16
democracy
republic)
Venezuelab
(constitutional
120
Hardline
143
Authoritarian
14
1
13
Not free
164
Electoral
multiparty
autocracy
autocracy
republic)
Source: Compiled by CRS using the U.S. State Department’s 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Bertelsmann Stiftung’s 2020 Transformation Index, EIU’s
Democracy Index 2020, Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2021, and the Varieties of Democracy Institute’s Democracy Report 2021.
Notes: Although Guyana and Suriname are located in South America, both are members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and are listed in Table 1.
a. V-Dem’s symbol (-) indicates that, taking uncertainty into account, the country could belong to the lower category while (+) signifies that th e country could belong
to the higher category.
b. From U.S. State Department’s 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Venezuela: “While Venezuela is legal y a multiparty, constitutional republic, the
il egitimate authoritarian regime led by Nicolas Maduro usurped control over the executive, judicial, citizens’ power (which includes the prosecutor general and
ombudsman), and electoral branches of government, and stood up a paral el, il egitimate legislative body alongside the existing elected one.”

CRS-16

link to page 20 Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices

Table 4 provides resources for further information about democracy indicators in Central and
South America and the Caribbean, although many cover other geographic areas as wel . The
sources are organized alphabetical y by title. This is not an exhaustive list.
Table 4. Selected Resources for Democracy Indicators
Title
Organization
Resource Type
URL
Bertelsmann Stiftung's
Bertelsmann Stiftung
Political Transformation
https://www.bti-
2020 Transformation
Index ranks 137 countries project.org/en/index/
Index
political-
transformation.html

Bertelsmann Stiftung
Governance Index ranks
https://www.bti-
137 countries
project.org/en/index/
governance.html

Bertelsmann Stiftung
Regional report on 22
https://www.bti-
Latin American and the
project.org/content/en/
Caribbean countries
reports/regional-reports/
regional_report_LAC_20
20_EN.pdf

Bertelsmann Stiftung
Global report covers 137
https://www.bti-
countries
project.org/content/en/
reports/global-report-d/
global_findings_democrac
y_2020_EN.pdf
Democracy Index 2020
Economist Intel igence
Global report covers 167
https://www.eiu.com/n/ca
Unit
countries and territories
mpaigns/democracy-
index-2020/
Democracy Report 2021
Varieties of Democracy
Global report covers 179
https://www.v-
(V-Dem)
countries
dem.net/media/filer_publi
c/74/8c/748c68ad-f224-
4cd7-87f9-
8794add5c60f/dr_2021_u
pdated.pdf
Electoral Integrity
Electoral Integrity Project,
Report and data from
https://www.electoralinteg
Worldwide 2019
an independent academic
cumulative study covering
rityproject.com/the-year-
project based at Harvard
national presidential and
in-elections-2019
University and the
parliamentary elections
University of Sydney
from July 1, 2012 to
December 31, 2018
Freedom in the World 2021 Freedom House
Global report covers 210
https://freedomhouse.org/
countries and territories
sites/default/files/2021-
02/FIW2021_World_022
52021_FINAL-web-
upload.pdf

Freedom House
Map
https://freedomhouse.org/
explore-the-
map?type=fiw&year=2021

Freedom House
Country ranking list
https://freedomhouse.org/
countries/freedom-world/
scores
Congressional Research Service

17

Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices

Title
Organization
Resource Type
URL
Global State of
International Institute for
Interactive map looks at
https://www.idea.int/gsod-
Democracy Indices 2019
Democracy and Electoral
116 indicators for 162
indices/#/indices/world-
Assistance’s (International
countries from 1975-2019 map
IDEA) Global State of
Democracy Initiative
Global State of Democracy
International Institute for
Report looks at global
https://www.idea.int/sites/
2019
Democracy and Electoral
trends in democracy from
default/files/publications/
Assistance
1975-2015 across 158
the-global-state-of-
countries
democracy-2019.pdf
Rule of Law Index 2020
World Justice Project
Report measures how the https://worldjusticeproject
rule of law is experienced
.org/sites/default/files/
and perceived in 128
documents/WJP-ROLI-
countries and jurisdictions
2020-Online_0.pdf

World Justice Project
Interactive map and data
https://www.worldjusticep
tables cover 128
roject.org/rule-of-law-
countries and jurisdictions
index/
Mexico States Rule of Law
World Justice Project
Country report on the
https://worldjusticeproject
Index 2019-2020
adherence to the rule of
.org/sites/default/files/
law in Mexico's 32 states
documents/MSI-eng-2.pdf
(also available in Spanish)
Worldwide Governance
World Bank
Data on 6 aggregate
https://info.worldbank.org
Indicators
indicators of governance
/governance/wgi/
for 214 countries from
1996-2019; in particular,
see Voice and
Accountability indicator
Source: Compiled by CRS.

Author Information

Carla Y. Davis-Castro

Research Librarian

Congressional Research Service

18

Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Compilation of Selected Indices

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should n ot be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

Congressional Research Service
R46016 · VERSION 6 · UPDATED
19