@KELLOGG INSTITUTE
‘Tue Heten Keuroce INstrTore FoR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
‘AMERICA LATINA, ESTADOS UNIDOS ¥ DENOCRACTA
cvarfaciones sobre un viejfsino cena.
Guitlermo o"Dennel?
Working Paper #19 = May 1984
The English version of this paper will be published in
Kevin J. Middlebrook and Carlos Rico, eds.0 United States=
Latin American Relations in che 1980s: contending Pere
spectives on a Decade of Crisis.
Guttiermo O'Donnell, the Academic Director of the Kellogg
Institute, holds the Helen Kellosz Chair in Ingeraationgt
Studies and 1s a professor in the Departments of Government
and Sociology. “He is also 3 Fellow of IUPERT, Rio de
Janeiro. His most recent book, £1 Estado burocréeies
Autorieario, 1966-1973; Triunios, Tereutse y CHisis vas
Published by Editorial de Selzran, duencs Aires, in 1962
and vill be published in English by the University of
Caltfornta Press, Berkeley.assTRAct
Tels paper arguss that despite the severe econosic crisis confronting
Latin America and despite the adverse consequences of the cottage
United States government vis-h-vis Latin America, today theve ie an
smportant opportunity for the installation or consolidiation of
desocratic regines in that region. The principal reason for chis
possibility Les in the painful learning process from che tase ave
of hardline authoritarianisa hich struck auch of Latin Anccica sod
continues to affect sone countries. While recognizing thar priascy
Fesponstbility for the construction or consolidation ef desoeesey
Bust Le with domestic political forces of each country aad thar
there are marked differences between South America ani’ Conerer
Aserica or the Caribbean, the paper outlines some measures ahich
the governsent and society of the United States could pursue, These
Reasures would eupport both denceratizatton in Latin Aberica, andthe
sedium and long term ncerests of all countries in the hemisphoce
RESUMEN
EL presente ensayo argunenta que, a peaar de 1a severa crists
econdaica que suire Anérica Latina y de las poco sesicivas eon~
Secuencias de las actuales poifticas del gobierno de Estados, Unidos
hacia aquella, hoy existe una inportante oportunidad para 1a teaces
jectén y/o consolidacién de reginenes democtiticos en aquella resins
La principal razén de eas posibilidad radica en e1 duro aprendina}e
hecho con Ja Gitina ola de duro autoritarisno que as013, y em ainnos
pafses aun asola, buena parte de América Latina, Sin porjulcte ae
gue ee logro es responsabilidad primordial de ias fuersas polftica
snternas a cada pats, y de distinguir las situactones avereates eo
anfrica del Sur, por un lado, y en buena parte de Andries Central
yeh Caribe, por el otro, el ensayo propone algunos criterion 7
Sedidas que el gobierno y 1s sociedad de Estados Untdos, pore. ¥
e2 combinaciéa con otros actores externos a ase pals, podeian adsptar.
Esas eventuales dectsiones reduadarfan en benefieto canco de Le
democratizacién ex América Latina como de los intereses de sediano
¥ largo plazo de cada uno de los pafees del hentsferio,