Latin America’s Second Pink Tide Fades as New Leaders Take Office

The so-called second pink tide, which brought left-wing leaders to power across much of South America after the COVID-19 pandemic, is now receding. Colombia is preparing to swear in right-wing lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella, replacing Gustavo Petro, while most other leftist governments have already exited office. The wave had initially delivered reductions in multidimensional poverty in Colombia and lowered food insecurity in Brazil, but budget constraints limited broader progress.

Signature promises, such as Petro’s negotiated approach to violence and Chile’s constitutional overhaul, were not fully realized. In foreign policy, Mercosur welcomed Bolivia and secured a trade pact with the EU, and the Capricorn Bioceanic Corridor project advanced, aiming to link South America’s coasts. Yet the durability of these integration efforts hinges on the region’s recurring ideological swings, as recent agreements like a single aviation market involve both left- and right-leaning governments.