It was widely predicted that the end of the Cold War would lead to a prolonged period of US-friendly neo-liberal hegemony in Latin America. In fact, the left has re-emerged as a serious political actor. Today, leftist or 'progressive' political forces are in government in nine Latin American nations, and social movements continue to challenge neo-liberalism in several other countries.This book is a comprehensive study of the wide variety of leftist governments, parties and movements in the region, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela.It is essential for students of Latin American politics, political theory, social movements and international relations.

About the Author(s)

By Patrick Barrett, Daniel Chavez and Cesar Rodriguez-Garavito

César Rodríguez-Garavito is Assistant Professor of Sociology and Law at the University of the Andes (Bogota, Colombia) and Fellow of the Institute for Legal Studies, University of Wisconsin, MadisonPatrick Barrett is Administrative Director of the A. E. Havens Center for the Study of Social Structure and Social Change at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of several articles on Chilean and U.S. politics. Daniel Chavez is a Uruguayan anthropologist specialising in Latin American politics, urban, social and political movements. Based in Amsterdam, he co-ordinates the New Politics Programme at TNI and has written and edited a number of books.

Table of Contents

1. Hope Reborn: Introduction to the Study of the New Latin American Left
CTsar Rodrfguez-Garavito, Patrick Barrett, Daniel Chavez
2. Brazil. Lula's Government: A Critical Appraisal
FTlix Sßnchez, Joao Machado Borges Neto, Rosa Maria Marques
3. Venezuela. Populism and the Left: Alternatives to Neo-liberalism
Edgardo Lander
4.Uruguay. The Left in Government: Between Continuity and Change
Daniel Chavez
5. Colombia. The New Left: Origins, Trajectory, and Prospects
CTsar Rodrfguez-Garavito
6.Argentina. The Left,