Introduction In the 1980s and 1990s a series of neoliberal reforms profoundly transformed Latin American economic, legal, political, and social systems. 1 A significant part of these reforms comprised the privatization of public utility services, such as electricity, telecommunications, and water. During this period, privatization often took the form of the sale of shares of state-owned companies to private investors, who became responsible for the delivery of essential services in the region. 2 Along with privatization, many Latin