Referendums in Latin America
How Latin American countries have used referendums and plebiscites — from Chile's pivotal 1988 vote to Venezuela's constitutional changes and Colombia's peace deal.
Chile 1988: The Referendum That Ended a Dictatorship
The most consequential referendum in Latin American history took place in Chile on October 5, 1988. Under the terms of his own 1980 constitution, dictator Augusto Pinochet was required to hold a plebiscite in which citizens would vote 'Yes' or 'No' on his continuation in power for another eight-year term. Pinochet expected to win. He was wrong.
The 'No' campaign, a coalition of opposition parties, ran a creative media campaign built around hope rather than grievance — their slogan was 'La alegría ya viene' ('Joy is coming'). The No side won with 55.99%, triggering democratic elections the following year, which brought Patricio Aylwin to the presidency in 1990. Chile's transition to democracy was achieved through the very constitutional mechanism the dictatorship had created, demonstrating that even authoritarian regimes can be undermined by the democratic instruments they use for legitimation.
