Our Brand Is Crisis

As Rachel Boynton's deeply disturbing documentary makes all too clear, American-style democracy isn't the only political export the U.S. has to offer troubled nations. Wealthy candidates can also purchase the services of an all-American consulting team to manage their campaigns and help spread the fine American art of spin control and negative campaigning around the world. Boynton's film follows the 2002 Bolivian presidential campaign of Gonzalo "Goni" Sanchez de Lozada, a wealthy businessman who previously held the nation's top office from 1993 to 1997. Goni is very proud of the fact that during his first presidency he established social security and national health...