96 Steve Ellner has taught economic history at the Universidad de Oriente in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela, since 1977. He is a participating editor of Latin American Perspectives and the author of Rethinking Venezuelan Politics (2008) and Neoliberalismo y Anti-Neoliberalismo en América Latina (2006). He thanks Miguel Tinker Salas for his careful reading of the manuscript at various stages and for comments that greatly enhanced the quality of the work. LATIN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVES, Issue 182, Vol. 39 No. 1, January 2012 96-114 DOI: 10.1177/0094582X11425333 © 2012 Latin American Perspectives The Distinguishing Features of Latin America’s New Left in Power The Chávez, Morales, and Correa Governments by Steve Ellner The governments of Hugo Chávez (Venezuela), Evo Morales (Bolivia), and Rafael Correa (Ecuador) share strategies, policies, and discourses that contrast with those of the center-leftists in power in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay as well as the social democratic, socialist, and classical populist experiences of the past. All three governments have triumphed at the polls with large majorities, rely on the ongoing mobilization of their followers, and embrace radical democracy based on a strong executive branch and direct popular participation in decision making as opposed to corporatist mechanisms. The three governments have been characterized by steady radicalization, their movements consist of multiclass alliances, and their economic policies have diversified commercial and technological relations. They have also established close ties with neighboring center-left governments and have promoted unity arrangements in the continent to resolve political disputes that exclude the United States. Their movements have fashioned a new narrative of nationhood that links radical goals and nationalist sentiment with traditions of political and social struggle. Los gobiernos de Hugo Chávez (Venezuela), Evo Morales (Bolivia), y Rafael Correa (Ecuador) han formulado estrategias, políticas y discursos similares que contrastan con los de los centro- izquierdistas en el poder en Argentina, Brasil, y Uruguay como también experiencias social- demócrata, socialista y populista clásica del pasado. Los tres gobiernos han triunfado en las elecciones con mayorías amplias, cuentan con las movilizaciones constantes de sus seguidores, y abrazan el modelo de la democracia radical basado en una rama ejecutiva fuerte y la participación popular directa en la toma de decisiones, contrario a los mecanismos corporativistas. Los tres gobiernos se han caracterizado por la continua radicalización, sus movimientos consisten en alianzas multi-clasistas y sus políticas económicas han diversificado las relaciones comerciales y tecnológicas. También han establecido vínculos estrechos con los gobiernos centro-izquierdistas de América Latina y han promovido instancias de unidad en el continente para resolver disputas políticas que excluyen a los Estados Unidos. Sus movimientos han creado un nuevo narrativo que vincula las metas radicales y sentimientos nacionalistas con las tradiciones de luchas políticas y sociales. Keywords: New left, Chávez, Morales, Correa, Twenty-first-century socialism