The “Pink Tide” Rolls On With Presidential Elections in Brazil and Uruguay

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The largest and smallest countries of Spanish and Portuguese speaking Latin America (in terms of population) voted in presidential elections on October 26, 2014.  In Brazil the second round confirmed the reelection of President Dilma Rousseff of the leftist PT or Partido dos Trabalhadores (Workers’ Party), while Uruguay’s first round set the stage for what looks to be a continuation in power of the ruling leftist FA or Frente Amplio (Broad Front), under former President Tabaré Vázquez.  Though in both cases surging forces of the center right seemed poised to regain power, they fell short.  Rousseff and the PT squeaked out a victory, the FA did better than many predicted, and along with the recent victory of Evo Morales in Bolivia, proved that the so-called “Pink Tide” of left-leaning governments in the region has yet to recede.