Can States Continue to Govern the New Citizenry Using Old Paradigms?: The Political Challenges of Open Government in Latin America and the Caribbean

The concept of Open Government has emerged as a new public policyparadigm. It is a response to the rise of a better-informed and more demanding citizenry, which seeks to influence public service design and provision. The practical dimension of the components of Open Government, above all those related to citizen participation and collaboration, make implementing this paradigm even more complex. Based on a review of the literature, international evidence, and a specific case of co-design and co-execution of a public service at the local level, this paper analyzes the political challenges that the Open Government model poses. Furthermore, it evaluates the incentives, obstacles, and opportunities that the Open Government agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean will have to tackle if it is to be feasible and successful.