Human rights in pink tide regimes

Since the election of Hugo Chávez in 1998, a gradual leftward shift in the political landscape of Latin America has been taking place.  The degree and manner in which the Pink Tide phenomenon may be responsible for administrative and consequent sociopolitical change in 21^st century Latin America is the focus of this analysis of the régimes in nineteen Hispanophone countries in the Western Hemisphere during a twenty-nine-year period.  The quantification and disambiguation of the Pink Tide phenomenon is discussed both in historical context and in light of its application in contemporary politics.  To determine whether Pink Tide governments are protectors of—or threats to—personal liberties, various indicators of human rights, such as torture and freedom of speech, were examined compositely via a t-test as well as individually with ² analyses.  Overall, the t-test reported the mean composite score for political rights to be significantly lower when Pink Tide administrations seize majority control of a government.  Though not all analyses proved to be statistically significant, most overwhelmingly support the case that Pink Tides are detrimental to human freedoms.  Only in the cases of disappearances and women’s rights do Pink Tide régimes report more favorable numbers than their counterparts.