Lost Illusions: Latin America’s Struggle for Democracy, as Recounted by Its Leaders

This book opens and concludes with a critical appraisal of the durability of Latin American democracy and the role of the United States in this democratic revival by author Paul Boeker, a respected commentator on international events and a former U.S. ambassador. Lost Illusions tells a unique story, at once frightening and thrilling. It is a story that every citizen of the Americas needs to know.

Leaders interviewed include:
Oscar Arias of Costa Rica
Patricio Aylwin of Chile
Virgilio Barco of Colombia
Rodrigo Borja of Ecuador
Carlos Menem of Argentina
Carlos Andres Perez of Venezuela
Carlos Salinas of Mexico
Julio Sanguinetti of Uruguay
Jose Sarney of Brazil
and Mario Vargas Llosa of Peru


Paul Boeker, a veteran career diplomat, has held key policy posts under both Democratic and Republican administrations, including his appointments as Ambassador to Bolivia and Jordan. Since 1988, Boeker has been president of the Institute of the Americas, a California-based center that promotes understanding of and seeks practical solutions for significant problems facing the Western Hemisphere.