Latin America’s left-wing experiment is a warning to the world

Over the past year or so a majority of Latin Americans have gone into a polling booth and put their mark next to the candidates who most represent change. As a result, left-wing presidents have come to power in Brazil, Chile and Colombia. They join a swathe of established left-wingers in Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico and Peru, and the autocratic left in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Across Latin America, 12 of 19 countries are now run by left-wing governments. They represent 92% of the region’s people and 90% of its GDP. This group is a diverse bunch. And yet they all promise big results. Can they deliver? As the world moves towards more state intervention, Latin America’s experiment offers several cautionary lessons.