Throughout 2019, we saw how mobilizations around the world grabbed headlines across Latin America, Europe, Asia and the MENA region. Many marches occurred in countries that already have a strong culture of civic participation in protests (i.e. France), and others occurred in countries in which people mobilized on a massive scale for the first time in decades, such as Algeria, Colombia and Iran.
In Latin America, the year began with Juan Guaidó auto proclaiming himself the Interim President of Venezuela, challenging the Maduro regime and provoking huge protests in the streets of Caracas and other cities.
Throughout the year, malaise in the region increased as did the idea that citizens have the power and capacity to organise themselves and influence the policies of their governments. However, the disproportionate use of violence and repression against protesters in the region has also been a common yet worrying theme, which represents a serious threat to democracy in Latin America.
