Authoritarian Strain in Latin American Political Culture

What came were the political leaders of the 19th century: Sim=n Bolfvar, JosT de San Martfn, and Francisco de Miranda --

all soldiers first and "liberators" of their countries later.

Argentina-born San Martfn served with Spanish armies in both Europe and Africa, returned to join the Argentine independence movement of 1812. Later, with General Bernardo O'Higgins, he

ended Spanish rule in Chile. O'Higgins became "Liberator" of Chile, San Martfn soon became "Protector" of Peru.

The Venezuelan-born Miranda, who served the French in the American Revolution and later commanded French Revolutionary armies in the Netherlands, was briefly dictator of Venezuela. Sim=n Bolfvar, also a native Venezuelan soldier, had served under Miranda. In 1817, he routed the Spaniards in Venezuela and took full control of the country as "Dictator." That same year, working with General Francisco de Paula Santander, Bolfvar formed the Republic of Columbia (comprising what is today Venezuela, Colombia, Panama

. . .
ic power in 1998 only after attempting a military coup in 1992. Chavez, who sees himself as the present day heir to the mantle of Sim=n Bolfvar, salvaged Venezuela from a growing morass of poverty and political turmoil when oil prices crashed in the mid-1980s. While Chavez stands well within the traditions of the radical nationalistic military leaders of Latin America, he also stands as the heir to the leftist Venezuelan guerrillas of the 1960's who attempted to rid their country of the political spoils system of cronyism and corruption. If, as many believe, Chavez is unable to return his country to a lasting prosperity and inspire the participatory democracy he openly advocates, it will be interesting -- if not frightening -- to see what course his country will then travel. There seems more similarities than differences among the different forms of authoritarian rule in Latin America, although in Mexico a great deal of the revolutionary leadership arose from the might and "personalismo" of men who had peasant beginnings. In conclusion, I would believe that few revolutions in Latin American have risen -- or will rise -- out of the will of the citizenry. And, until such revolutions represent the people as the blood-stained, sel
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1834
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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