According to the Democracy Index 2024 published by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Latin America and the Caribbean experienced their ninth consecutive year of decline in the quality of democracy. However, Mexico stood out as the most improved country in the region, rising from 90th to 84th place globally, achieving a score of 5.32 points that places it in the "hybrid regime" category.
In contrast to Mexico's improvement, the regional average democracy score in Latin America decreased from 5.68 in 2023 to 5.61 in 2024. It is noteworthy that Uruguay and Costa Rica remain the only "full democracies" in the region, while Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Haiti remain classified as "authoritarian regimes."
The report highlights the importance of how the new government of Sheinbaum will manage the balances of power and respect the independence of institutions for the future of democracy in Mexico. Of the 24 countries evaluated, 17 experienced setbacks, five showed improvements, and two remained unchanged, with Mexico and the Dominican Republic making the most progress.
Despite the slight improvement in Mexico's democratic rating, the report warns of the challenges facing the country, such as institutional weakening and the increasing influence of the armed forces in government. Trust in the government, the social policies implemented, and the rise in the minimum wage have contributed to this improvement, although significant challenges remain.
Claudia Sheinbaum's election as president in 2024 was marked by high levels of violence, with 37 politicians assassinated during the electoral campaign. Mexico is positioned as a "hybrid regime," alongside Paraguay, while facing challenges such as attacks on the press, the erosion of autonomous bodies, and the growing power of the army in politics.
Additionally, the recent constitutional reform for judges to be elected by popular vote could increase the politicization of the Judiciary, benefiting the ruling party Morena in future elections. Despite the advances in its democratic quality, Mexico faces considerable challenges to strengthen its institutions.
