Forging inclusive democracies.

• Author: Villamil, Ney
• Position: Interview

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Latin American democracy forum, convened in Mexico City by the OAS, the UNDP, and the Mexican Federal Electoral Institute, opened a broad space for analysis. It brought together participants from a variety of backgrounds in Latin America, who contributed their ideas on challenges to democracy, new paths to development, and a variety of approaches to resolving pending issues on Latin America's political and economic agenda.

Américas is beginning a series of interviews that were conducted during the Forum with some of the participants.

Epsy Campbell Barr is an active defender of the human rights of Afrodescendent women. She was a candidate for Vice President in Costa Rica and remains a popular political leader there.

Julio María Sanguinetti was twice the President of Uruguay (1985-1990 and 1995-2000). He was an outspoken opponent of the coup that ushered in the twelve year civic-military dictatorship (1973-1985) and the first civilian constitutional president elected when full democracy was restored in his country.

Campbell and Sanguinetti have a similar vocation: that of defending and strengthening democracy. Both are interested in analysis, but their reflection is not just theoretical. It is grounded in pragmatism and personal experience.

Campbell points out the great diversity of Latin American women and the potential of their political strength. She suggests that the feminization of politics is a secure path to strengthening and humanizing democratic culture, and she is convinced that women add essential elements that men are unable to contribute to politics.

Sanguinetti emphasizes that civic culture and the inclusion of aU sectors are essential elements for consolidating Latin American democracy, but he points out three conspicuous perils that may threaten its development: populism, "reelectionism," and inequality.

Epsy Campbell Barr

* Epsy Campbell, what do you think of the OAS report , Nuestra Democracia?

It is a highly needed contribution for the discussion and deepening of the democratic debate in Latin America because much remains to be said and much more to be understood. It makes it possible to better define a democracy with citizenship for men and women without discrimination. Now, with this forum, the OAS, the UNDP, and the Mexican Federal Electoral Institute open a door that allows us to make further progress and define what 21st century democracy in Latin America is and what it will be.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

* How do you see the situation of women in the region in recent years?

We are in the best of historical times, and yet we are still far behind where we should be. We have advanced in recent years in terms of...