Quando participar é um direito: oportunidades e limites estabelecidos nos marcos legais da participação popular na Guatemala e no Brasil

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify the limits and opportunities for people’s participation in decision-making spaces existent in Brazil and Guatemala. Both countries have advanced in establishing legal frameworks that rule people’s participation in urban development policies and city management. Collective spaces such as Councils were elected as the primary space for popular participation. We have then tried to identify how these Councils were regulated in the legal framework and what were the main challenges faced by people’s participation in practice. Brazil and Guatemala have different levels of political centralization, which result in different limits for participation and cities democratic management.