Report warns of democratic decline in Central America and the Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- The Seventh State of the Region Report 2025, presented in Honduras, warns of a democratic decline across Central America and the Dominican Republic between 2018 and 2023. The study indicates that several countries are approaching levels of instability and political conflict not seen since the 20th century, highlighting growing threats to freedoms, suffrage, peace, and human rights.

The report notes that the decline is most severe in Nicaragua and El Salvador, where authoritarian traits have become more evident. Guatemala and Honduras are described as hybrid regimes that mix democratic and authoritarian elements, while Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dominican Republic maintain greater institutional stability. Former rector of the National Autonomous University of Honduras, Julieta Castellanos, stressed that Nicaragua and El Salvador operate under authoritarian systems, while Honduras and Guatemala show signs of press persecution and weakened institutions.

Another concern raised in the report is the strengthening role of the armed forces in the region, despite the absence of external threats. Military spending nearly doubled between 2010 and 2022, rising from US$1.129 billion to US$2.022 billion. The Dominican Republic accounted for one-third of that spending, followed by Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Analysts caution that this trend may empower executives at the expense of citizens’ rights, diverting resources to military control instead of national security needs.