Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines all Latin American women presidents. It provides more contextual details about particular locations in which women presidents gained power and outlines the institutional setting such as the legislature and party systems. These observations suggest whether presidents appear fairly unencumbered by other political institutions in achieving their policy goals. The book delves into a discussion of each of the women presidents educational backgrounds and political experience prior to their presidential candidacies. It examines women presidents policy priorities, particularly as they relate to women's interests and issues. Women presidential aspirants, however, rarely finish on top or garner substantial vote percentages, perpetuating male domination of these positions. Latin America and Asia began and sustained this trend of women presidents dependency on family ties in post conflict/transitional contexts.