Midyear and the world indeed is worse

Last of two parts

IT is heartening to see one war emerging: the democracy-wishing rebels fighting the military junta in Myanmar. Let's wish them success. But that's a sadly isolated event. Elsewhere, the wars are toward dictatorial control. Since November 2020, a brutal civil war has raged in Ethiopia between the federal government and the northern Tigray region. In Yemen, the conflict between a Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognized government against Houthi rebels aligned with Iran is ongoing. Venezuela's economic crisis and political instability have fueled ongoing protests and clashes. President Nicolás Maduro's government is cracking down on dissent and consolidating power. The Taliban's recent takeover of Afghanistan after America's chaotic withdrawal has shifted the country into an authoritarian regime. Then, there are too many African countries that are falling. Mali, Guinea and Burundi are but three recent ones. The list goes on. Worldwide democracy is in decline.