Colombia fell 13 positions in The Economist's 2026 Democracy Index, declining from 72nd to 85th globally, as analysts point to weakening institutional checks and rising political polarization under President Gustavo Petro's administration.
The country's score dropped from 6.24 to 5.90 out of 10, according to La República, reflecting deterioration across multiple democratic indicators including electoral process integrity, civil liberties, and political culture. The decline marks Colombia's steepest fall in the index since the peace process began in 2016.
The Economist Intelligence Unit's report highlighted concerns about executive overreach, attacks on judicial independence, and increased tensions between government branches. Petro's administration has clashed repeatedly with the Constitutional Court, Congress, and regional governments over reform proposals and budget allocations.
"In Colombia, as across post-conflict societies, peace is not an event but a process—requiring patience, investment, and political will," said Sandra Borda, a political scientist at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá. "What we're seeing is the fragility of democratic institutions under pressure from both sides of the political spectrum."
The democratic backsliding comes as Colombia approaches the midpoint of Petro's four-year term, with his approval ratings hovering around 30% and major reforms stalled in Congress. His "Total Peace" initiative, aimed at negotiating with remaining armed groups, has produced mixed results while corruption scandals have damaged the administration's credibility.
Opposition lawmakers seized on the rankings as vindication of their warnings about authoritarian tendencies. "This government came to power promising to strengthen democracy, but the world is watching it weaken," said Senator María Fernanda Cabal, a conservative critic.
Defenders of the administration argue the decline reflects structural problems predating Petro, including persistent violence in rural areas, narco-trafficking influence on politics, and unequal implementation of the 2016 FARC peace agreement. Violence against social leaders and former combatants continues at alarming rates in former conflict zones.
The democracy decline has implications beyond Colombia's borders. As the region's fourth-largest economy and a key U.S. security partner, Colombia has long been portrayed as a democratic success story in a region experiencing political turbulence. Venezuela, Nicaragua, and El Salvador rank far lower, classified as authoritarian regimes.
Democracy experts note the index measures not just elections but democratic culture, civil society strength, and institutional independence. Colombia's score decline was sharpest in the "functioning of government" category, which assesses whether elected officials can govern effectively and whether civilian authorities control the security forces.
The fragile state of rural governance particularly concerned researchers. In many former FARC territories, state presence remains minimal nearly eight years after the peace accords, allowing criminal groups to fill the vacuum. This undermines both security and democratic participation in regions home to millions.
Regional patterns show mixed trends across Latin America. While Colombia declined, neighboring Ecuador showed modest improvement despite security challenges, and Chile maintained relatively high scores despite social unrest. Brazil under President Lula da Silva held steady after gains following Jair Bolsonaro's departure.
Peace implementation advocates warn that democratic deterioration threatens the sustainability of Colombia's historic FARC agreement. "You cannot build lasting peace without functioning democratic institutions," said Kyle Johnson, Colombia director for the Washington Office on Latin America. "The two processes are inseparable."
The Petro administration has not formally responded to the democracy rankings, though officials have previously dismissed international criticism as politically motivated. The government maintains its reform agenda aims to deepen democracy by addressing inequality and empowering historically marginalized communities.
Colombia's Constitutional Court remains one of Latin America's most independent judiciaries, regularly ruling against both progressive and conservative governments. Civil society organizations continue operating freely, and press freedom, while challenged, exceeds that of many regional peers.
Yet the trajectory concerns democracy watchers who remember Colombia's difficult journey from decades of conflict toward institutional stability. The peace process, while imperfect, represented a commitment to resolving disputes through democratic means rather than violence—a commitment now facing renewed testing.
As Colombia enters the second half of Petro's term with major elections looming in 2026, the democracy debate will likely intensify. Opposition parties are already positioning themselves as defenders of institutional order, while government supporters argue that meaningful change requires challenging entrenched power structures.
The stakes extend beyond partisan politics to the fundamental question of whether Colombia's democratic institutions can withstand the pressures of implementing peace, addressing inequality, and managing polarization simultaneously—challenges that will define the nation's trajectory for years to come.
