#LASA2026 - Don’t miss your chance to read the new Cambridge element, New Forms of Democratic Erosion in Latin America, by @lgamboa.bsky.social & @raschwartz.bsky.social#LASA2026 Free access available until 3rd of June 2026 - https://cup.org/4uoTtRz

Check out our Cambridge Elements with @raschwartz.bsky.social available online for free until June 3rd: doi.org/10.1017/9781... In it, we build a new analytical framework to understand new forms of democratic erosion in the region.

My policy brief on Judicial Capture is now out, as part of The Authoritarian Ecosystem collection by @wfd.org and PSA Courts are now sites of democratic contestation. They can accelerate backsliding or resist it. Understanding how they are captured matters. www.wfd.org/what-we-do/r...

Hungarians deserve every congratulations for giving Peter Magyar a bigger margin than Orban has ever gotten in all of his rigged elections - and this within the system that Orban rigged. Magyar now has a constitutional majority to undo Orban's constitutional prison and govern as a democratic leader.

The outcome of today's election seems to be good news for democracy and (yes) bad news for MAGA. But let's not reduce the enormous amount of effort the opposition did (building a broad tent coalition, campaigning in unfair elections etc.) and Hungarians overall rejection fo Fidez to US politics.

Felicidades a los ganadores del Premio LAPIS al Mejor Artículo 2025: Verónica Pérez Betancur, Rafael Piñeiro-Rodríguez y Fernando Rosenblatt (@fernandorosenblatt.bsky.social) por su trabajo: “La incorporación política de los sectores populares en América Latina.” #LASA2025

Es un libro maravilloso!!!

I just did a 3 hours security line in Houston. It is terrible. But if the alternative is funding a paramilitary force to violate human rights with impunity, the choice is easy. Dems cannot cave. No more money to ICE www.nytimes.com/live/2026/03...

New Publication Alert! Why are legislatures in some authoritarian regimes more powerful and influential than in others? In their book, Alejandro Bonvecchi and @emisimison.bsky.social answer this question by analysing past dictatorships in Argentina, Brazil, and Spain www.cambridge.org/9781009676243

This is a terrific piece, with research included from a recent book by Notre Dame professor @lgamboa.bsky.social. The U.S. isn’t faring as well, because the elite - in Congress, in the Supreme Court, in business and media and more, have largely not recognized the threat as grave.

🚨 Republicans just passed a law to pack Utah’s Supreme Court by adding two seats. Republicans are doing this following court rulings against their gerrymander and their attempt to gut the ballot initiative process that voters used to ban gerrymandering

🚨 Deadline is tomorrow! 🚨 Submit your abstract for the 4th APSG Conference in London 15-16 June here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

The people of Minnesota are heroes. And the behind the scenes networks of immigrant advocacy organizations, churches, etc. are doing G-d’s work

As #Venezuela skids deeper into a "food emergency," Trump's de facto new alliance with the repressive, corrupt regime there makes the crisis even more deadly. My article @newrepublic.com. @deanbaker13.bsky.social @dceiver.bsky.social newrepublic.com/article/2056...

Authoritarianism is BY DEFINITION unevenly distributed. Venezuela's SEBIN, Pinochet's DINA, and Russia's FSB target some and spare others. ICE isn't any better. Saying that authoritarianism in the US is uneven is just another way to dress the fact that US is turning into a dictatorship.

For those of you interested, there is a relatively new podcast on democratic breakdown from Cornell's Center on Global Democracy led by @beattyriedl.bsky.social newbooksnetwork.com/democratic-d...

I wanted to make a thread about the useful analyses coming out about the situation in Venezuela, but there is a lot, and everyday new things come out. It may be more useful to share some of the existing analysis of how we got here. Books in no particular order and on various themes/issues... 🧵

Tomorrow is the day - please join us for what promises to be an engaging conversation with @lgamboa.bsky.social, Michael Coppedge, and Paola Bautista de Alemán. See you at 2pm in the Hesburgh Center!

Join us this Fri., Jan. 16, for a flash panel on Venezuela with @lgamboa.bsky.social, Michael Coppedge, and Paola Bautista de Alemán. Moderated by @aperezli.bsky.social at the Hesburgh Center. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4sy6Dv3

📢LAPIS abre nominaciones 2025: 🔹 Best Paper Award (deadline: 23 enero) Más info: sections.lasaweb.org/sections/pol...

📢 Call for Nominations – LAPIS (2025) Now open: 🏆 Best Paper Award (deadline Jan 23). 🔗 More info: sections.lasaweb.org/sections/pol...

📢 LAPIS abre nominaciones 2025: 🔹 Donna Lee Van Cott Book Award (deadline: 16 enero) 🔹Más info: sections.lasaweb.org/sections/pol...

📢 Call for Nominations – LAPIS (2025) Now open: 🏆 Donna Lee Van Cott Book Award (deadline Jan 16) 🔗 More info: sections.lasaweb.org/sections/pol...

Autocratic capture comes to cities in Texas if this law passes.

As the US threatens Venezuela, top military commanders might note that Venezuela is a member of the International Criminal Court and it has refused to sign an "Article 98 waiver" with the US. That means that Americans could be brought before the ICC on war crimes charges.

Resistance to democratic backsliding is in many ways a fight to buy time. Not caving is key in that regard. It allows a very slow legal battle to play out.

Compare Harvard's resistance aided by law with Northwestern's negotiations and eventual cave-in: www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-t...

As a newly minted Michigander I am proud to be represented by @slotkin.senate.gov. Thanks for speaking up Senator!

Postdoc Opportunity! Purdue University The Center for American Political History, Media, and Technology (CAPT) seeks a Postdoctoral Research Fellow specializing in research at the intersection of media, politics, and technology in modern America. networks.h-net.org/jobs/69524/p...

11) Erosión democrática en Estados Unidos: una alerta roja para la región / Por @lgamboa.bsky.social latinoamerica21.com/es/

Reflexiones sobre la erosión democrática en EEUU y su impacto en América Latina

This is the kind of campaign unleashed against the few Republicans opposing redistricting in Indiana…How can non-Republicans counteract that kind of pressure?

New article out in @polstudies.bsky.social! Why do opposition parties in authoritarian regimes so often fail to coordinate, even when unity could help them win? doi.org/10.1177/0032... In this article, we highlight two overlooked drivers of opposition fragmentation 🧵

People think the closest example to what is happening in the US is Hungary. I think is Guatemala (2017-2023) where the Corrupt Pact co-opted state institutions and undermined state capacity to enhance impunity and corruption

You know who else refused to swear in democratically elected members of congress? Nicolas Maduro (2015) Just saying…

In case you missed it! Here is last week’s Charlemos where the awesome @jolechartre.bsky.social discusses her amazing research

It's today!

I won't get tired to repeat it. Due process not only protects minorities and marginalized communities, it protects US ALL.

- What is the current "boat strike" death toll? (43) - How much of cocaine supplies (est) actually transit Venezuela? (10-13%) - How much US-bound fentanyl comes from South America? (none) We all need credibly sourced information right now. And here is a new @wola-org.bsky.social fact sheet:

Join us for this fantastic Charlemos featuring the great @jolechartre.bsky.social who will be discussing her award winning research! Time: Monday 27, 2025: 3-3:30 pm ET (Online) You can register here: forms.monday.com/forms/e0aefb...

Just a reminder that Republicans own this shutdown

Those comparing this government with Orban’s give it to much credit. This administration is nothing more than an obscene corruption and impunity racket, like the Corrupt Pact in Guatemala or Dina Boluarte and her allies in congress in Peru www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/u...

This is what democracy looks like. #NoKings

Organizers estimate 5000-6000 people in South Bend, IN (pop about 100,000), with massive and loud support from most of the cars on a big football weekend. #NOKINGS2

This is how democracy looks like #NoKings in South Bend IN

Brown rejected the compact! www.brown.edu/sites/defaul...

More extra-judicial killings. So far these attacks have costed 27 lives. Trump alone decided they were guilty and deserved to die. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/u...