WHAT CHANGES ARE TAKING PLACE IN THE LATIN AMERICAN ARMED FORCES?

Abstract

The Latin American Armed Forces are one more dynamic reality in a constantly changing region. While in Latin America the former predominance of center-left and left-wing governments has given way to a large majority of conservative governments, subregional and regional integration appears in clear decline, a climate of ideological struggle arises between the states among themselves and within them, and the prolonged peace in the region no longer seems a good to be taken for granted, it seems inevitable that this new regional climate will impact the Armed Forces. In this area, a clear decline of civil control or political leadership of defense can be observed to various degrees in most States, and a growing tendency to involve the aforementioned forces in non-traditional military roles, particularly in internal security, can also be observed, as well as the search for autonomy by the aforementioned Forces. While military equipment and spending remain almost unchanged, some countries have been significantly re-equipped, without this having produced, at least for the moment, threats to peace.

The main questions seem to lie in the limitations and challenges in terms of civilian control and in the effects of the growing use of the Armed Forces in internal security, both in political matters - regarding civilian control - and in the human rights of the population, as well as the eventual weakening of democracy and respect for human rights in the countries of the region, as also in the never ruled out effects that political polarization may produce in terms of international tensions in the region.