The Navarra Center for International Development produces a series of graphs focusing on the topics we cover in the Country Reports. In the case of the last few weeks we have discussed the state of democracy in South Africa, Kenya, Guatemala and the Philippines. Here we present a report by region.

Subsaharan Africa

During 2021 we have seen several coups d'état in African countries, some of whose young democracies are still very weak: South Africa, for example, is a flawed democracy according to The Economist and its internet freedom has recently been severely eroded due to emergency restrictions imposed by the government under the guise of COVID-19. Kenya, on the other hand, is among the group of thirteen countries considered an hybrid regime, where democratic and authoritarian tendencies coexist. The country has improved in the perception of corruption, obtaining its highest historical score in the world ranking. 

Central America

Central America is another geographical area that has been subject to great political instability, especially in Nicaragua. Guatemala has fallen in both the Democracy Index (from 93 to 97) and the Corruption Perceptions Index (from 146 to 149), being one of the lowest ranked countries and having lost 8 points since 2012. 

Southeastern Asia

Meanwhile, the Philippines, which faces a presidential election in 2022 with Rodrigo Duterte's replacement on the table, is also a flawed democracy. Although it has evolved from authoritarian to free rule since 1986, the rule of law and the judiciary do not function in a truly independent manner.