ABOUT THE AUTHOR

José Ignacio Hernandez

José Ignacio Hernandez is a Professor for Administrative and Constitutional Law at the Catholic University Andrés Bello (Venezuela). He is an Invited Professor at the Pontifical University Madre y Maestra (Dominican Republic) and a Senior Associate at the Center for Strategical and International Studies.

POSTS BY José Ignacio Hernandez

14 November 2024

An Antidote To Constitutional Authoritarian Populism?

Presidential reelection is once more a focal point in Latin American constitutional law. The amendment to the 2010 Dominican Constitution, approved in October 2024, modifies the presidential term to bar future changes that would permit unlimited presidential reelection. This reform opposes the populist trend that argues for the people’s unconditional right to reelect the incumbent president, as witnessed in Venezuela and Chile. However, as cases like El Salvador demonstrate, constitutional design may be insufficient to deter abusive interpretations by constitutional courts. Continue reading >>