MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

EU concerned with Latinamerican “democratic fragility”

The European Union is increasingly concerned with signals of “democratic structural fragility” coming from Latinamerica, warned the EU commissioner for International Relations Benita Ferrero Wadner speaking in Biarritz, France.

There's growing concern in the EU with the resurgence of "certain populisms", nurtured on "poverty and inequality" which is destabilizing pillars of democratic systems, "sometimes still incipient", she added.

"The risk of democratic involution exists. We want redouble efforts to avoid any negative results and to reduce the threat to irrelevant significance. Our challenge is to reinforce Latin America's stability", she underlined during the Seventh edition of the EU/Latinamerican Forum.

Ferrero Waldner recalled that according to United Nations surveys, many citizens from Latinamerica are willing to give up some democracy privileges, "like for example voting, in exchange for economic prosperity".

"This is a long gone situation for all European countries", she said pointing out that the EU endeavor "to consolidate a strategic association with Latinamerica" can be ultimately threatened by a "lack of democratic solidity".

Although without specifically naming him, the EU commissioner went on to mention some examples, beginning with Bolivia's Evo Morales nationalization of all hydrocarbon resources.

"We are looking with concern at decisions involving foreign investors, which do not respect mutual expectations. We are not questioning the legitimate rights of countries, but there must be dialogue, cooperation and respect for signed contracts", she underlined warning that this kind of attitude can have an impact on major foreign investments".

The EU supports Indigenous minorities and majorities in Latinamerica, "as long as they respect the Constitution and the legal system".

"That is why we are looking forward with great interest the evolution of Bolivia's Constitutional Assembly which we only ask it remains constitutional", said the EU Commissioner in direct reference to the administration of President Morales that is taking his first steps in the face of mounting presence of opposition sectors.

The assembly was granted controversial full rights to re-found Bolivia on new bases that recognize the Indigenous roots and contribution to the country.