Endogenous governance: theory, data and tools for escaping the trap of ineffective governance in Latin America

In Latin America, many public policies are grounded in sound diagnoses and technically consistent designs. However, they often become fragmented, change course or are ultimately not durable enough to translate into lasting results. This pattern is due to what the document terms the trap of ineffective governance, characterized by shortened political cycles, political fragmentation, weak institutional capacities, increased polarization and low levels of trust in institutions. Why, then, do policies continue to be designed and implemented as if these conditions are separate from the environments in which they are meant to operate? Drawing on comparative data, this publication proposes endogenizing governance within public policy analysis. Rather than treating it as an external condition or as a challenge that emerges only during implementation, it should be incorporated as a constitutive dimension of the policy cycle. The document proposes a conceptual framework and operational principles to address a central development challenge in the region, which is designing and implementing politically feasible, institutionally sustainable policies that can effectively guide and manage vital transformations in the development model.