Public policies with a human rights perspective in the shift to the left. From rupture to the second round in Venezuela and Ecuador

• Main Authors: Claudia Espinosa Díaz, Daniel Vázquez Valencia
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica 2016-04-01
• Series: Revista Latinoamericana de Derechos Humanos
• Subjects: human rights perspective; public policies; shift to the left; national planning
• Online Access: http://www.revistas.una.ac.cr/index.php/derechoshumanos/article/view/8023/9050

There are three processes that interact in certain countries in Latin America: the shift to the left, movements to develop new constitutions driven by left wing governments , and the increasingly relevant role played by human rights in the development of public policy. We will make evident these interactions by analyzing this last point: public policy with a human rights perspective (PPHR). The inclusion of human rights in constitutions is something that has been thoroughly analyzed; yet the link of this inclusion with pubic policy is an area that is relatively new despite it being key in understanding the gaps between the fulfillment and enjoyment of human rights. We ask: what is the relationship between constitutions issued by left wing governments and the development of PPHR? One would expect that the role played by human rights in new constitutions would have a sustained impact in the development of PP. This is not necessarily the case: although there is interaction between constitutions and PP, there are two interesting aspects to highlight: the rebranding in the case of Ecuador and the second round in the case of Venezuela.