Military and Politics in the Andean Region
By Carlos Basombrío Iglesias
April 1, 2006
This paper, written by Carlos Basombrío, researcher at the Institute of Peruvian Studies in Lima, political columnist for Perú 21, and former Peruvian vice minister of the interior, offers valuable comparative insights about the role of the military in politics in the countries of the Andean region. Basombrío notes that the weakness of democratic institutions in the region and the participation of the armed forces in tasks unrelated to their primary function leads to a high degree of political involvement by the military. He argues that unless political elites undertake serious military reform, democracy and civil-military relations will deteriorate, heightening instability in the Andean region.