The book "How Democracies Die" by Steven Levitsky examines the erosion of democratic institutions and practices in various countries. To illustrate this decline, Levitsky compares contemporary leaders in Latin America to authoritarian figures, noting the similarities in their governance styles. He specifically mentions Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, as well as Rafael Correa in Ecuador, indicating that their behaviors reflect a troubling trend in democratic backsliding.