How does the right ever mange to win elections in Latin America?

[Some Moran]

Most people live in poverty...So wouldn't they vote for socialists?

[PVnRT]

1. Wait...you think they actually win them?

Well?

[Some Moran]

3. Not really...lol

But Chavez pulled it off in spite of any cheating.

And Colombia's finally smelling all that fresh coffee. :)

[Cleita]

2. Having lived in SA, there are very strong socialist

and communist parties but they don't seem to get their votes counted. Seems familiar doesn't it?

[pw]

4. Even where votes are counted

You can use intimidation and/or propaganda to convince people to vote against their own interests. "Vote for our candidate if you want to keep your kneecaps." "Vote for our candidate or <insert hated group here> will rape your daughters." "Vote for our candidate or we'll have to fire you all to maintain our standard of living."

Because things could always get worse...

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. In Central America in the 1980s

the right wingers used state terrorism to keep the peasants down.

In the 1982 El Salvador elections, the candidates ranged from right wing to very right wing, voting was compulsory, anyone whose hand wasn't stamped as having voted was suspected of being a guerilla and was killed, and soldiers watched as people filled out their ballots.

According to a Salvadoran refugee who spoke at my church, poor youths went into the army because it was the only sure way to get three square meals and a decent place to live. During that time they were indoctrinated to believe that dissidents were Communists who were doing the devil's work, so if they killed them, they were doing God's work.

[SharonAnn]

6. Just came back from a month in Chile and Chile

hasn't elected a right-winger since they got rid of Pinochet. They have elected left of center presidents.

BTW, in all the bookstores in Santiago, there is an area where they display copies of the latest political books. They had "I, Pinochet" displayed along with Michael Moore's "Stupid White Ment" in Spanish!

No kidding, both in Chile and Argentina, Michael Moore's "Stupid White Men" in Spanish was on prominent display. What a hoot!

[Some Moran]

7. Wow...How enlightened they are...

Those countries are very White.

[mitchtv]

8. Argentina is very white

Chile is very Latino .

[Some Moran]

10. I thought they were both White...

Oh well...

But I don't think Latino is about skin colour as much as it is about culturo-linguistic issues. (Although I know some countries have strife between White and Black/aboriginal Latinos.)

[Cleita]

9. The Chilean people are very democratic in their thinking.

The Pinochet years would never have happened if our country hadn't interfered. Henry Kissinger should be in prison for this.