In Latin America, the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic are spurring activism, but also putting democracy on hold.
Brazilian protestors mass — at their windows
The Bolsonaro government in Brazil has been the subject of widespread protests this week over its handling of the crisis, widely perceived as inadequate.
As in many countries, the right to assemble in public has been curtailed, but this hasn’t stopped millions of Brazilians in Rio Janerio and Sao Paulo from doing it anyway—from the safety of their balconies.
Banging pots and flashing lights, they are calling on the president to resign.
Chile: democracy on hold?
The protests that have swept Chile over the past 6 months have called for fundamental change to the country’s governance.
However, the April 26 constitutional referendum that was set to address the nation’s problems has been postponed for at least six months.
Sources: BBC News, The Guardian