The tragic events that unfolded in January at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., has given rise to elegies of American soft power. The shining example of American democracy has been extinguished, so the argument goes, the insurrection marking the beginning of a purportedly "post-American world." The events of Jan. 6, 2021, have shaken the faith traditional allies had in American stability and the strength of the country's institutions. Yet for nations still struggling to consolidate democracy, American democracy and U.S. institutions still shine brightly. This is especially true in Latin America.
