Brasília, 4/22/2004 (Agência Brasil) - Democracy in Latin America is going through a crisis, says a UN Development Program (UNDP) report, pointing out that a survey showed that over 54% of Latin Americans "would prefer an authoritarian regime to democracy if it could straighten things out." The UNDP interviewed 19,000 people, along with 231 leaders, asking them about the situation of the continent over the last 20 years as part of its report, "Democracy in Latin America".

According to the UNDP representative, Carlos Lopes, the survey warns that there is a democracy deficit which can get worse if more people stop believing in it. Lopes said the survey showed that the people who do not believe in democracy are illiterate or low-income who are socially excluded from the benefits of society. He also said many young people had doubts about democracy. Young people never had experience with a dictatorship so they could not make a comparison.

In a video message, the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, called the result of the survey sad and wrong. "The solution for problems in Latin America is not authoritarianism. The solution is stronger, deeper democracy," said Annan, adding that regular elections were not enough. "There have to be benefits - political, social and civil benefits - it is through the organization of citizens and the expansion of their rights that democracy is strengthened."

Translator: Allen Bennett