Power and Impotence

Fabio Luis Barbosa dos Santos delves into the history of South America to understand the rise and fall of the so-called 'progressive governments'. In the wake of mobilizations against neoliberalism in the 1990s, most countries elected presidents identified with change. However, less than twenty years after Hugo Ch vez's victory, this trend seems to be reversed. The times of Lula are now Bolsonaro's. What happened? Supported by extensive bibliography and hundreds of interviews, the author addresses each South American country, including those who did not elect progressives, in addition to Cuba. The national focus is enriched by an analysis of regional integration attempts, providing a detailed and necessary recent history of the subcontinent.



Originally published in Portuguese as Uma hist ria da onda progressista sul-americana (1998-2016) by Elefante, S o Paulo, 2018.



Fabio Luis Barbosa dos Santos mergulha na hist ria da Am rica do Sul para compreender a ascens o e queda dos chamados 'governos progressistas'. Na esteira de mobiliza es contra o neoliberalismo nos anos 1990, a maioria dos pa ses da regi o elegeu presidentes identificados com a mudan a. Contudo, menos de vinte anos depois da vit ria de Hugo Ch vez, essa onda chega ao fim. Os tempos de Lula agora s o de Bolsonaro. O que aconteceu? Apoiado em extensa bibliografia e centenas de entrevistas, o autor aborda cada pa s, inclusive os que n o elegeram progressistas, al m de Cuba. O enfoque nacional enriquecido por uma an lise das tentativas de integra o regional, oferecendo uma detalhada e necess ria hist ria recente do subcontinente.