Military Engagement: Influencing Armed Forces Worldwide to Support Democratic Transitions

2. Characteristics of and Influences on the Armed Forces during Democratic Transition in Latin America

11 2 Characteristics of and Influences on the Armed Forces during Democratic Transition in Latin America Juan Emilio Cheyre In Latin America, military governments have been commonplace ever since independence. Wars of independence and armed revolutions throughout the nineteenth century delayed the establishment of normal, civilian-led institutions. The majority of Latin American countries were governed by authoritarian regimes offering immediate solutions to social needs, and there were no popular or elite expectations of democracy until well into the twentieth century. Through the 1970s and 1980s, there were authoritarian military governments in most of the region’s countries. This chapter analyzes the transitions of those regimes to more representative , democratic governments. The armed forces that formed part of the military governments were, in many cases, important players in the transition process and contributed to the return to democratic normality. Each country ’s process was unique, but three general patterns emerge: the military leaders in government were agents of change and established the framework for transition; stagnant military regimes were overthrown by other military leaders more open to change; and violent opposition to the military regime ultimately resulted in a transition to democratic civilian government. This chapter begins with a theoretical discussion of the characteristics of transitions. Next, a summary of the events in individual My thanks to Mariana Perry, researcher with the Center for International Studies of the Catholic University, Chile, who contributed to this chapter. 02-2478-0 ch2.indd 11 5/20/13 9:20 AM 12 JUAN EMILIO CHEYRE countries during the period from 1970 to 2010 is related to the theoretical factors . The cases selected (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru, and Paraguay) cover many of the important Latin American transitions to democracy during the eighties and nineties. The country summaries show different patterns of transition and key factors in the loss and recovery of civilian democratic governance. The concluding section discusses the important characteristics of the role of the armed forces in establishing sustainable democratic governments. The objective is to identify lessons that can be applied to contemporary transitions, such as those in North Africa and the Middle East, as well as in some parts of Africa. The purpose of a handbook is to provide useful tools to apply toward solving concrete problems. The Latin American experiences described in this chapter can serve as a guide either to strengthen countries’ existing democracies or to help them move toward the construction of democratic governments in those cases where authoritarian governments are currently in power. A Glance at Transition Theory There is a large body of academic work on how military governments end and how power is transferred to an authority with its own political legitimacy in M E X I C O C O L O M B I A V E N E Z U E L A P A N A M A COSTA RICA NICARAGUA HONDURAS EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA BELIZE C U B A HAITI JAMAICA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC PUERTO RICO BAHAMA ISLANDS TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS Central America 02-2478-0 ch2.indd 12 5/20/13 9:20 AM 13 DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION IN LATIN AMERICA A R G E N T I N A CHILE URUGUAY B R A Z I L PA R A G U AY B O L I V I A P E R U ECUADOR C O L O M B I A V E N E Z U E L A GUYANA FRENCH GUIANA TRINIDAD & TOBAGO SURINAM South America 02-2478-0 ch2.indd 13 5/20/13 9:20 AM 14 JUAN EMILIO CHEYRE a democratic system.1 Each case is different, depending on the specific characteristics of the regime and on external circumstances. In Latin America, transitions have been top-down, with major roles played by powerful elite groups in each country. Figure 2-1 illustrates the important theoretical concepts for the analysis of such transitions in Latin America. The differential characteristics of military governments shown in figure 2-1 include how they came to power and the nature of their regime. These characteristics influence the way in which they exercise power as well as how they make decisions and their style of leadership. At the same time, these ways of governing gain different levels of support from society and also affect the military government’s relationship with the opposition. Depending on these characteristics, military governments can be...