Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections

Latin America and the Caribbean:
Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections
Mark P. Sullivan
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Julissa Gomez-Granger
Knowledge Services Group
This fact sheet tracks the current heads of government in Central and South America,
Mexico, and the Caribbean, and provides the dates of the last and next election for head
of government. It also provides the national independence date for each country.
Table 1. South America
CountryIndependenceDateHead of GovernmentLast ElectionNext Election
ArgentinaJuly 9, 1816FERNANDEZ DEKIRCHNER, Cristina Oct. 28, 2007Oct. 2011
BoliviaAug. 6, 1825MORALES, EvoDec. 18, 2005Dec. 2010
BrazilSept. 7, 1822DA SILVA, Luis InácioLulaOct. 1/ Oct. 29,2006Oct. 2010
ChileSept. 18, 1810BACHELET, MichelleDec. 11, 2005/ Jan. 15, 2006Dec. 2009
ColombiaJuly 20, 1810URIBE, Alvaro May 28, 2006May 2010
EcuadorMay 24, 1822CORREA, RafaelOct. 15/Nov. 26,2006Oct. 2010
ParaguayMay 14, 1811LUGO, FernandoApr. 20, 2008Apr. 2013
PeruJuly 28, 1821GARCIA, AlanApr. 9, 2006/June 4, 2006Apr. 2011
UruguayAug. 25, 1825VÁZQUEZ, TabaréOct. 31, 2004 Oct. 2009
VenezuelaJuly 5, 1811CHÁVEZ, HugoDec. 3, 2006Dec. 2012



Table 2. Mexico and Central America
CountryIndependenceDateHead of GovernmentLast ElectionNext Election
MexicoSept. 16, 1810CALDERÓN, FelipeJuly 2, 2006July 2012
Costa RicaSept. 15. 1821ARIAS, OscarFeb. 5, 2006Feb. 2010
El SalvadorSept. 15, 1821SACA, Elías Antonio(Tony)Mar. 21, 2004 Mar. 2009
GuatemalaSept. 15, 1821COLOM, AlvaroSept. 9, 2007/Nov. 4, 2007by Nov. 2011
HondurasSept. 15, 1821ZELAYA, ManuelNov. 27, 2005 Nov. 2009
NicaraguaSept. 15, 1821ORTEGA, DanielNov. 5, 2006Nov. 2011
PanamaNov. 3, 1903TORRIJOS, MartinMay 2, 2004 May 2009
Table 3. Caribbean
CountryIndependenceDateHead of GovernmentLast ElectionNext Election
Antigua &Nov. 1, 1981SPENCER, BaldwinMar. 23, 2004 by Mar. 2009
Barbuda
BahamasJuly 10, 1973INGRAHAM, HubertMay 2, 2007by May 2012
BarbadosNov. 30, 1966THOMPSON, DavidJan. 15, 2008by Jan. 2013
BelizeSept. 21, 1981BARROW, DeanFeb.7, 2008February 2013
CubaMay 20, 1902CASTRO RUZ, Raúlaa
DominicaNov. 3, 1978SKERRITT, RooseveltMay 5, 2005by May 2010
DominicanFeb. 27, 1844FERNANDEZ, LeonelMay 16, 2008May 2012
Republic
GrenadaFeb. 7, 1974THOMAS, TillmanJuly 8, 2008July 2013
GuyanaMay 26, 1966BHARRAT, Jagdeo Aug. 28, 2006by Aug. 2011
HaitiJan. 1, 1804PRÉVAL, RéneFeb. 7, 20062011
JamaicaAug. 6, 1962GOLDING, BruceSept. 3, 2007 by Sept. 2012
St. Kitts &Sept. 19, 1983DOUGLAS, Denzil Oct. 25, 2004by Oct. 2009
Nevis
St. LuciaFeb. 22, 1979KING, StephensonbDec. 11, 2006by Dec. 2011
St. Vincent &Oct. 27, 1979GONSALVES, RalphDec. 7, 2005by Dec. 2010
the Grenadines
SurinameNov. 25, 1975VENETIAAN, Ronald May 25, 2005May 2010
Trinidad &Aug. 31, 1962MANNING, PatrickNov. 5, 2007by Nov. 2012
T obago
a. On February 24, 2008, Raúl Castro was selected by Cuba’s legislature as President of the Council of State, a position
that makes him head of state and government. Raúl had been serving as acting President since July 31, 2006, when
Cuba’s long-serving communist leader, Fidel Castro, stepped down provisionally because of poor health. Since the
1959 Cuban Revolution, there have been no elections for head of government.
b. Stephenson King was sworn in as Prime Minister on September 10, 2007, following the death of Prime Minister
John Compton, who had been elected in December 2006.