Presidents and Democracy in Latin America

Manuel Alcántara is a Full Professor at the University of Salamanca and currently Director of FLACSO Spain. His field research concerns parliament elites in Latin America, parliamentary performance in Latin America, and democracy and elections in Latin America. His most recent books include El oficio de político (2012) and Sistemas Políticos de América Latina (2013, 4th edition) and, as editor, Procesos políticos y electorales en América Latina (2010-2013) (2013) and Selección de candidatos y elaboración de programas en los partidos políticos latinoamericanos (2013).Jean Blondel is a Professor at European University Institute, Florence, Italy. He became a Professor of Political Science at the EUI in 1985 and was an External Professor from 1994 to 2000. Prof. Blondel set up the Department of Government at the University of Essex in 1964 and co-founded the European Consortium of Political Research. He was the winner of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science for 2004. He has been awarded honoris causa doctorates from the University of Salford, the University of Essex, the University of Louvain-la-Neuve, the University of Turku, the University of Macerata (2007), and the University of Siena (2008).Jean-Louis Thiébault is Professor Emeritus and former Director (1997-2007) at the Institute of Political Studies, Lille, France. He has co-edited with Jean Blondel, The Profession of Government Minister in Western Europe (1991); with Gérard Marcou, La décision gouvernementale en Europe (Belgique, Danemark, France, Pays-Bas et Royaume-Uni) (1996); with Gérard Marcou and François Rangeon, La coopération contractuelle et le gouvernement des villes (1997); and with Jean Blondel, Political leadership, parties and citizens: The personalisation of leadership (2009). He has also published 'Book review: Alain Rouquié, A l'ombre des dictatures. La démocratie en Amérique Latine', Etudes Internationales, XLI(3), 2010, 413-415; 'Des économies émergentes ou des marchés émergents: le développement politique avec ou sans la démocratie', Revue Internationale de Politique Comparée, 18(1), 2011, 9-52; and 'Comment les pays émergents se sont-ils développés économiquement?', Revue Internationale de Politique Comparée, 18(3), 2011, 11-46.