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For Latin Americans, Trump's Outsider Win Is a Familiar Story – With a Twist

By Javier Corrales

Political outsiders are nothing new in Latin America. What does the region's propensity for newcomers tell us about Trump's rise?

Donald Trump’s victory on Nov. 8 may represent the arrival of a true outsider to the U.S. presidency, but the rise of political newcomers is old hat in Latin America. Since the mid-1980s, by my count 21 outsiders have either won the presidency (13) or come in second place (and three of the eight who came in second eventually secured the top job). With Trump now added to the mix, we can safely say that the phenomenon of outsiders becoming presidents is not so uncommon in our part of the world.

What lessons or theories can we draw from these cases to help us understand the factors...

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