Violence Remains A Viable Option Throughout “Democratic” Latin America
Guatemala, Colombia and El Salvador still are not safe havens for those calling for reforms “Democracy” often more
apparent than real
Intimidation and murder often accompany political rallies and free elections Skeptics noticeably aside, Latin America’s
transition to democracy is now widely, if perhaps mistakenly accepted as reflecting a genuine sea change.
Regional boosters, like Secretary of State Colin Powell, will insist that, with the possible exception of Cuba, there
are no overtly authoritarian or military governments left in the region.
And it is a fact that the Bush administration showed itself eager to embrace the attempted coup against Venezuelan
President Hugo Chávez in April of 2002, and that what saved the day was the immediate and widespread condemnation of the
failed effort both within and outside that country.
Some would argue that the failure of the coup demonstrated that there’s little tolerance these days for frontal attacks
on democratically-elected governments, with Haiti a lamentable exception. While an argument could be made to uphold this
thesis, evidence also exists that many democratic institutions remain under profound threat in many Latin American
societies.
W. John Green, Ph. D., is a COHA Senior Research Fellow and a specialist in Colombian history. Issued 29 March, 2004
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