In Latin America,  2016 ended with  a lot problems for leftwing leaders. Will it mean  a change to the right for 2017?

British newspaper The Guardian analyze how Latin American countries face the incoming year, after the death of Cuba’s communist revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro, and the imminent presidency of Donald Trump.

According to The Guardian, this "shift' to the right has toppled the Workers’ party in Brazil, weakened Peronists in Argentina, threatened Mexico with a wall and seen growing problems for leftwing leaders in Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile.

After dominating the region for the previous decade, the Latin American left "has gone much of the progressive idealism that led to poverty reduction, improved access to healthcare and education, and greater rights for indigenous groups".

The reasons are manifold. Economically, many nations have been hit by weakening Chinese demand and the consequent ending of the commodity supercycle – a once-in-a-generation boom in primary agricultural and mining products.

Politically, there was also the plot to impeach Dilma Rousseff and the Worker's party in Brazil, plus the defeat of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s successor in Argentina. 

But the biggest challenge come from Trump’s victory. He is expected to push protectionist and nationalist measures that will affect their economic and political relations with Latin America, especially with Mexico. 

As reported in The Guardian.