Here are three reflections on the anniversary of the coup from Honduras Culture and Politics, Hermano Juancito, and Voices from El Salvador.
Given the muddled US response to the recent constitutional crisis in Paraguay, it doesn't appear that the US has gotten any better at defending democracy and the rule of law in the region. I don't think that it is because the US doesn't want to defend democracy and the rule of law. Part of the US' response seems to be driven by other interests (drug trafficking concerns, economic interests, lukewarm support for democratically-elected leftists aligned with Venezuela, etc.).
Another part is driven by a lack of knowledge about the constitutional powers of the different branches of government in Honduras, Paraguay, and elsewhere. See Tim for the recent constitutional crisis in El Salvador here and here.
Finally, even when the US wants a desired outcome, it's not clear that it has the power to cause Latin American elites to change. I've always thought that people overestimate US power in Latin America. Sure the US is powerful economically and militarily, but that doesn't always mean that it will get its way.
Given the muddled US response to the recent constitutional crisis in Paraguay, it doesn't appear that the US has gotten any better at defending democracy and the rule of law in the region. I don't think that it is because the US doesn't want to defend democracy and the rule of law. Part of the US' response seems to be driven by other interests (drug trafficking concerns, economic interests, lukewarm support for democratically-elected leftists aligned with Venezuela, etc.).
Another part is driven by a lack of knowledge about the constitutional powers of the different branches of government in Honduras, Paraguay, and elsewhere. See Tim for the recent constitutional crisis in El Salvador here and here.
Finally, even when the US wants a desired outcome, it's not clear that it has the power to cause Latin American elites to change. I've always thought that people overestimate US power in Latin America. Sure the US is powerful economically and militarily, but that doesn't always mean that it will get its way.
