Routledge : Informal Coalitions and Policymaking in Latin America

Explore how presidents navigate contentious political environments to achieve market-oriented reforms in this academic study. Focusing on Ecuador within a comparative perspective, Mejia Acosta provides a detailed look at the mechanisms used to pass significant reforms despite chronic political fragmentation. This book presents a wealth of quantitative and qualitative empirical evidence, much of which is being reported for the first time. It examines how leaders in Ecuador successfully implemented changes by building informal yet functional coalitions with opposition parties in congress. This research is especially relevant for understanding political success in regions marked by deep regional and ethnic divisions. For students, researchers, and professionals in political economy, this text offers a new way to look at policymaking in Latin America. It provides a deep dive into the paradoxes of constitutional adoption and the practical realities of governing in divided societies.