ABSTRACT
The left in Latin America has gained notoriety since the 1990s, either because some newly elected governments subscribe to this ideology or because it has become a strong enough political force to impact policy decisions.1 It could be the case that political parties that describe themselves as leftist have been able to recruit and field more viable candidates than in the past. Given the limited choice of candidates in each country, voters either support these candidates or simply do not turn out to vote. But it could also be the case that-holding parties’ positions constantvoters leaning towards the left have become more numerous relative to those leaning towards the right, thus accounting for the recent electoral success of the left. Any suitable explanation is, most likely, a mixture of both processes.2
