Not all Latin American countries enjoy a democratic and free electoral system that ensures high levels of competition and a variety of candidates. However, as we strive to achieve this, it becomes essential to develop sound criteria for selecting our leaders.
The first pillar I recommend is ethics. Our future leaders must demonstrate strong ethical consistency. Contrary to popular belief, this is not simply a matter of intuition. It’s not enough to have a clean record (which is a basic requirement) or deliver a coherent moral speech. For example, in the series Breaking Bad (which I highly recommend watching if you haven’t), we follow the story of a modest chemistry teacher who, when faced with a personal crisis, seizes an opportunity to act immorally—and he does. The issue is that once he begins, his moral degradation becomes inevitable and progressive. It’s surprising to see an ordinary person, raised with values and unaccustomed to a life of crime, behave in such a way. But the truth is, this happens more often than we think. Ethics aren’t just values instilled by parents or taught in school—they involve a lifelong practice of virtues and an understanding that there’s always a right way to achieve the same goals.
This is why our analysis must be meticulous. We need to carefully examine the candidate’s professional track record, the activities they’ve participated in, the allies they’ve worked with, and, most importantly, their reaction when those allies later acted unethically.
Moreover, as Hannah Arendt taught us, it doesn’t take cynicism to commit evil—mere ignorance or banality is enough. This leads us to the second pillar: leaders must be well-prepared for the positions they seek. Technical expertise is crucial, and in areas where they lack it, they must rely on a multidisciplinary team of advisors.
The third pillar is a commitment to institutional integrity. This commitment must be reflected not only in their words but in their past actions. Leaders must respect the established rules and, if they propose changes, those changes should be made responsibly and with the consensus of experts and citizens alike.
The fourth pillar is that leaders must speak with reason. While it’s legitimate to appeal to emotions or touch people’s hearts, it’s irresponsible to make promises they cannot fulfill or propose policies that would ultimately harm the very citizens they aim to help. Therefore, we must critically evaluate their ideas: just because something sounds appealing doesn’t mean it’s beneficial. In this regard, I’d like to offer a constructive critique to the Latin American voters: too often, we choose candidates because we like them, because they’re charismatic, family friends, or seem like good people. This is misguided. A leader doesn’t need to be your friend, uncle, or father; they should be someone intelligent, committed to improving public administration, and dedicated to giving you more freedom to shape your own life. Similarly, don’t dismiss a candidate simply because you disagreed with one of their opinions—consider the pillars I’ve mentioned and use rational judgment. This will help ensure that the best option is chosen.
Finally, our role as citizens in holding leaders accountable extends beyond protests. It should begin during electoral campaigns and continue throughout their time in office. The best way to strengthen democracy is through continuous engagement—criticizing when necessary, but also supporting and participating in good initiatives.
The time has come to transform our region. Let’s unite and choose wisely.
This article provides a lot of valuable information—excellent work!