Sebastián Kraljevich, former Secretary for the Strengthening of Democracy at the Organization of American States and a political strategist with more than 25 years of experience across 13 presidential campaigns in Latin America, examines the mounting challenges facing democratic forces as authoritarian projects gain ground across the region. Drawing on both his institutional and electoral experience, he explores what is genuinely at stake for Latin American democracies, the possibilities and limits of the inter-American system in responding to democratic backsliding, and the role that universities, practitioners, and civil society can play where multilateral institutions reach their limits. He offers analysis, data, and strategic elements to discuss how democratic projects can compete on an increasingly uneven playing field.