The political landscape of Latin American countries has often been dominated by dictators who took virtually complete control of the state. In many cases, these people relied on violence and suppression of their political opponents or activists who could not accept totalitarian rule (The War on Democracy).
This paper is aimed examining the impact of these political regimes on people living in Latin America. Moreover, it is critical to show why dictators could come to power in these countries and retain this authority for a long time. These are the main issues that should be discussed more closely.
In the course of history, various Latin American countries could be governed by dictators. For example, one can mention Ecuador, Paraguay, or Chile. These people could use various strategies in order to retain their power. For instance, one can mention that during the rule of Augusto Pinochet nearly 3000 people disappeared (Johnson 71). This dictator adopted the policy of state-sponsored assassination (Johnson 71).
Furthermore, it is important to mention the constitution adopted by Pinochet administration in 1980. This constitution undermined the possibility of any democratic reform in Chile. Moreover, the state was authorized to use torture against the people who opposed to the totalitarian government.
Apart from that, those people, who were responsible for these crimes, were not brought to justice. Similar political regimes existed in other countries such as El Salvador, Argentina, or Nicaragua which were also governed by the totalitarian leaders. These examples are important for understanding the strategies of political dictators. Moreover, their activities produced disruptive effects on various Latin American societies. This is of the main arguments that can be put forward.
This problem can be explained by several factors. For example, it is possible to speak about increased economic inequalities between people. These inequalities increased the likelihood of political conflicts in these societies. Moreover, the elites in Latin American countries supported military coups because they believed that the military leaders would protect their financial interests (Johnson 37; Ezrow 38).
They did not oppose to the idea of totalitarian state provided that such a state could protect their property (Johnson 37). Secondly, one should not forget about military intervention into the political life of Latin American countries.
For example, the United States played an important role in shaping the political regime of Latin American states (The War on Democracy). In particular, the released documents of the CIA indicate that the American government supported anti-communist dictators in Chile, Bolivia, and Venezuela (Johnson 71). This topic is examined in the film The War on Democracy directed by John Pilger.
This documentary is aimed at demonstrating that the history of Latin America can largely be explained by the influence of foreign governments (The War on Democracy). This is another issue that should be taken into account. It is important for understanding the history of these countries.
This discussion suggests that political dictatorship in Latin America affected the lives of many people many of whom could be killed, tortured, or imprisoned. To some degree, this situation can be explained by the internal conflicts within these societies that can be explained by economic inequalities. However, it is critical to remember about foreign intervention, especially the support which the U.S. government to many anti-communist dictators. This is the main point that can be made.
Works Cited
Ezrow, Natasha. Dictators and Dictatorships: Understanding Authoritarian Regimes and Their Leaders, New York: Continuum, 2011. Print.
Johnson, Sterling. Peace Without Justice: Hegemonic Instability Or International Criminal Law?, New York: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2003. Print.
The War on Democracy. Ex. Prod. John Pilger. London: Youngheart Entertainment, 2007. DVD.