"Heraldo Muñoz knows Latin American politics like few others. His new book offers keen insights into the threats faced by democracy in the region, along with a set of useful recommendations for ways to counter those threats. It contributes to a much-needed discussion." —Gerardo L. Munck, University of Southern California

What, asks Heraldo Muñoz, is behind the current phenomenon of democratic backsliding—globally and, particularly, in Latin America? What clues can we find to answer that question? Most crucially, can the current trajectory be changed? Muñoz draws on his experiences as a political dissident, a political scientist, and then a participant at the highest levels of Chilean and international politics to discuss what he suggests is the principal threat to democracy in Latin America: not traditional coups d’etat, but rather the gradual kidnapping of democracy from within the system by elected governments that become autocratic. His nuanced analysis, and his proposals for reversing this trend, are essential reading.