On Tuesday, Americans who come to vote (

in 2016 they were just over 55% of those registered

, representing approximately 2.1% of the world's population) will not only decide who will be their president for the next four years.

Also,

the personality of the leader who will be in charge of the greatest political, economic and military power in the world

, on which the continuity - or its definitive disappearance - of the liberal order established after the end of World War II will depend.

And it is that, these four years of mandate of

Donald trump

They have questioned global balances and have undermined the confidence of their natural allies -especially the EU and the rest of NATO members-, due to a way of governing that straddles populism and a strong and arbitrary personalism, incompatible with diplomacy. international.

The Americans will have to assess whether an experience has been worthwhile which, despite its good economic results - thanks to the economic protectionism implied by the

America first

-, has reopened in society old wounds such as racism, encouraged by

a violent supremacist ideology

of sad memory in the history of the country.

And although it is true that Trump has not embarked the United States in any military conflict, it is also true that he has stressed international stability, mainly with his tough

trade showdown with China

, with the tariff war started with the European countries, with their refusal to ratify the environmental commitments agreed in Paris and with the breakdown of the anti-nuclear agreement with Iran and the support for a new policy of alliances between

Netanyahu's Israel

and the Islamic powers of the Persian Gulf These relevant elections are marked by the ravages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and by polls that reflect a tight result, with a certain advantage to the Democratic candidate,

Joe biden

.

However, Trump's threat to initiate a legal battle if the results of the vote-by-mail are not favorable to him and the possibility of not recognizing the victory of his rival introduce an element of added uncertainty that also

to damage the image of the United States

They keep everyone waiting.

To continue reading for free

Sign inSign up

Or

subscribe to Premium

and you will have access to all the web content of El Mundo

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more