The armed forces and democracy in Latin America

Abstract

The political role of the military is one of the most important questions facing Latin American societies wishing to consolidate new democracies. Despite the return to elected civilian governments, undemocratic patterns of civil-military relations persist in much of the region. In this text, the author analyzes the contrasting patterns of military power in post-transition regimes. Drawing on a range of sources he shows how learning from the past, the domestic environment and the international context affect military beliefs about their role in politics. His analysis includes policy recommendations for US and Latin American leaders trying to promote democratic civilian-military relations. The book tackles the subject of the military and politics in Latin America from a broad historical perspective, drawing on literature in the field and other information based on personal interviews with officers.

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