Table 3.5

Legislative Powers of Presidents in Latin America

 
Proactive Powers
Reactive Powers
    
Country Decree Powersa Budgetary Powers Proactive Powers subtotalb Package Veto Partial Veto Exclusive Initiative Reactive Powers subtotalb Plebiscite Powers Overall Legislative Powersb
Chile
0.33
0.73
0.50
0.85
0.85
0.67
0.77
1.00
0.66
Brazil
1.00
0.91
0.96
0.15
0.15
0.67
0.38
0.00
0.62
Ecuador
0.33
0.73
0.50
1.00
0.69
0.33
0.62
1.00
0.59
Colombia
0.67
0.64
0.66
0.31
0.31
0.67
0.46
1.00
0.59
Peru
0.67
0.73
0.70
0.15
0.15
0.33
0.23
1.00
0.50
Argentina
0.33
0.45
0.38
0.85
0.85
0.00
0.48
0.50
0.44
Panama
0.17
0.55
0.33
0.77
0.77
0.33
0.58
0.00
0.43
Uruguay
0.17
0.64
0.37
0.54
0.54
0.33
0.45
0.00
0.38
El Salvador
0.00
0.82
0.35
0.77
0.00
0.00
0.22
1.00
0.33
Venezuela
0.33
0.64
0.46
0.08
0.08
0.00
0.04
1.00
0.30
Guatemala
0.33
0.18
0.27
0.77
0.00
0.00
0.22
1.00
0.29
Dominican Republic
0.00
0.64
0.27
0.92
0.15
0.00
0.31
0.00
0.27
Honduras
0.33
0.36
0.34
0.77
0.00
0.00
0.22
0.00
0.26
Mexico
0.17
0.36
0.25
0.92
0.00
0.00
0.26
0.00
0.24
Bolivia
0.00
0.27
0.12
0.85
0.00
0.33
0.38
0.00
0.23
Costa Rica
0.00
0.64
0.27
0.77
0.00
0.00
0.22
0.00
0.23
Paraguay
0.00
0.64
0.27
0.23
0.23
0.00
0.13
0.00
0.19
Nicaragua
0.00
0.73
0.31
0.15
0.15
0.00
0.09
0.00
0.19

a Included in this measure are both the power of presidents to unilaterally make law (decree powers) and the power to shape the legislative agenda (agenda-setting powers), such as by declaring legislation "urgent", implying a reduced time frame for congress to take action.

b Weighted averages.

Note: Legislative power variables are normalized on a scale of 0 to 1 based on the range of possible scores of each variable.

Source: UNDP (2005).