Abstract:

In the past decade, despite the apparent demise of authoritarian rule and formal military control of the state in Latin America, the power and influence of militaries and police have not diminished. Instead, these institutions have frequently carved out new roles for themselves, in some cases usurping the power of civilian agencies, sometimes in violation of constitutions. The enduring power of the militaries and the police has been reinforced by the dismantling of other parts of the state apparatus by policies of market-oriented reform. Indeed, as economic safety nets for the relatively disadvantaged have all but disappeared, poverty and income inequality have been on the rise, and crime has started to soar in many countries in the region. As disorder in civil society increases, political challengers with control over the means of violence have strengthened their position, with groups as diverse as veterans, guerrillas, paramilitary forces, drug traffickers, and the police acting with increasing impunity.