The role of the vice presidency in Latin America: Between institutional continuity and the struggle for power Papel de la vicepresidencia en América Latina: Entre la continuidad institucional y la disputa del poder

Abstract

This article clearly and precisely analyzes the role of the vice presidency in Latin America, considering its constitutional, legal, and political configuration, its origins, its powers, and its institutional link to the presidency. Through a comparative study of various South and Central American constitutions, it examines how the vice president is chosen and their position within the presidential ticket, as well as their substantive and complementary functions. It also addresses the mechanisms for succession or replacement of the president in cases of absence, disappearance, resignation, or death of the nation’s leader. Furthermore, this study includes a categorization framework that allows for the identification of similarities and differences among the various presidential systems in the region.