@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,