Why Can’t We Elect a President Who Doesn’t End Up in Jail?
This year has been brutal for former presidents in Latin America when it comes to the law.
Ollanta Humala from Peru (2011-2016) got 15 years in prison for money laundering in April 2025. Argentina’s Cristina Kirchner (2007-2015) was sentenced to six years in June for a long-running corruption case. In August, Colombia’s Álvaro Uribe (2002-2010) was sentenced to twelve years for procedural fraud.
In Brazil alone, Fernando Collor de Mello (1990-1992) was given nine years for corruption in April 2025, and Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2023) was given 27 years earlier this month.
But Bolsonaro’s case is different, and that’s what I want to talk about today.
Brazilian prosecutors said that during the 2022 presidential election, which Bolsonaro lost to Lula da Silva, he tried to take down Brazil’s democracy.
It took a long time to build up: Bolsonaro spent months questioning the country’s electronic voting machines; his allies wrote orders to cancel the 2022 result; military officers close to him were pushed to step in; and, when nothing else worked, thousands of supporters broke into Congress, the Supreme Court, and the presidential palace on January 8, 2023.
Of course, the similarity with January 6, 2021, in the United States is evident.
The justices found Bolsonaro guilty of trying to lead a takeover, running a criminal group, and using violence to end the democratic government.
That’s what I mean when I say this case is different. While corruption trials go after people in power trying to benefit themselves, this decision was about a direct attack on Brazilian democracy, which has lasted since 1985, after 21 years of military rule.
Ironically enough, Bolsonaro was also found guilty under laws he had signed himself in 2021, which made violent attacks on democratic institutions a crime.
This is not to excuse corruption or to suggest that leaders who steal are somehow acceptable as long as they govern effectively. I’m not trying to be like those grandpas who say, while waiting in line at the bank, “ese robaba, pero por lo menos hacía” (“he stole, but at least he got things done”).
Corruption hurts public trust and wastes millions. Over time, it weakens democracy and helps anti-political feelings grow, but it does not immediately dismantle the basic rules of a country.
The point here is understanding why this is not your usual case of a former Latin American president going to jail. Most of Latin America was ruled by strict dictators in the last century, and sadly, some of those are still around today, so even though our countries do okay-ish in the Democracy Index, it is still important to protect them.
Bolsonaro is unlikely to spend his remaining years behind the bars of a standard prison cell. At 70, still suffering from the wounds of a 2018 stabbing and now facing an early cancer diagnosis, his lawyers will almost certainly push for house arrest or a hospital stay. Yet, the message sent by the 27-year sentence is very clear.
Ecuador Might be Heading to a General Strike
President Daniel Noboa had once promised never to touch subsidies, but last week, he got rid of the diesel one, saying it mostly helped smugglers and rich people.
Prices jumped overnight from $1.80 to $2.80 a gallon, causing an immediate shock. The change made $1.1 billion available for social programs, but for farmers, truckers, and bus drivers, it meant higher costs, more expensive food, and growing anger in the streets.
Within hours, protests broke out. People blocked highways, markets ran low on supplies, and Quito saw fights between protesters and riot police. Indigenous groups, remembering their important part in the 2019 and 2022 protests, called for a nationwide strike until the decision is reversed. Labor unions and opposition parties have joined them, saying the subsidy cut is just another budget cut like those pushed by the IMF.
Noboa has not backed down. He announced a state of emergency in seven provinces, temporarily moved the government out of Quito, and says he will not change his decision. But history is not on his side: two presidents before him, Lenin Moreno in 2019 and Guillermo Lasso in 2022, had to give in after protests over subsidies shook the country.
Whether Noboa can get through this or whether Ecuador is headed for another strike remains the question.
Save the Pibes
President Javier Milei blocked a law this week that would have allocated more funds to public universities and children’s hospitals, such as Buenos Aires’ Garrahan, the country’s main one of its kind. The veto halted funding for equipment, medicine, and pay raises intended to prevent doctors and nurses from leaving. Since Milei took office, Garrahan has lost about 10% of its medical staff, with families now facing delays in cancer treatments and not enough important medicines.
Milei defends the decision with his usual mantra: “no hay plata” (“there is no money”). He says Argentina must protect its weak budget surplus, even if that means turning down what he called “noble but irresponsible” spending. But the reaction has been strong. Congress quickly voted to undo his veto with a large majority, unions are planning strikes, and polls show most Argentines support the hospital staff.
This happened just after Milei’s group lost badly in Buenos Aires Province elections by more than 13 points to the Peronists (Argentine traditional left-wing). That loss, in Argentina’s most populated district, showcased a vote on Milei’s aggressive style and push for spending cuts. Instead of changing, Milei has become even firmer, promising not to “backtrack a millimeter.”
His team calls this brave, but it seems more like ignoring reality: cutting money for children’s hospitals after losing an election is a quick way to become even less popular.
A Political Comedian Taken Out of the Air for Censorship? Been There, Done That
As someone who grew up loving late-night shows and wanting to be like them one day, it feels completely unreal to live in a world where Colbert and Kimmel are taken off TV because of censorship.
And yet, it also feels strangely familiar. In Latin America, we’ve seen this happen before. When I read the news about Kimmel, I couldn’t help but think of Luis Chataing in Venezuela back in 2014. Chataing was one of the country’s most popular late-night hosts, and his show was suddenly taken off Televen with no chance to even say goodbye to viewers. Executives admitted it wasn’t really their choice. They were under political pressure they couldn’t resist, and everyone knew it was coming straight from Maduro’s government.
I’m honestly tired of pointing to Venezuela every time Trump or his people pull a stunt and saying, “See, he’s following the same script.” But in this case, it’s almost too easy to draw the line.
If you want to see how that unfolded, I recommend the documentary about when Chataing’s program was taken off the air. Here’s the link.
Latin Media of the Week: Yes, Journalists are Puppets Sometimes
The journalist who influenced me the most is Juan Carlos Bodoque.
Yes, the red rabbit from 31 Minutos. If you haven’t seen it, 31 Minutos is a Chilean puppet news show that began in 2003 as a parody of serious TV newscasts. It was supposed to be for kids, but it quickly became a cult favorite across Latin America.
The humor worked for everyone: kids enjoyed the puppets, while adults picked up on the satire about politics, media, and society. The show led to albums, live concerts, a feature film, and its characters are still loved today.
Bodoque was the show’s star reporter. His Notas Verdes segments tackled environmental issues with the style of a serious investigative journalist, but the reports came from a depressed, womanizer, alcoholic puppet rabbit.
What a concept.
For me, he showed that journalism didn’t have to be stiff or serious. It could be funny, curious, and creative, while still telling the truth.
And if you’re reading this and have no idea who I’m talking about, here’s some good news: the band from 31 Minutos is getting their very own Tiny Desk concert on October 6. So you can meet them through their music before you discover this very strange, very brilliant puppet newscast.
That’s all for this week. If you liked what you read, please subscribe. You’ll get something like this every week: one main analytical piece, three important stories from Latin America, and one media suggestion to help you learn more about our region.
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Gracias por leer. Hasta la semana que viene.