Recent evolution of the defense policies and structures in the Southern Cone: Argentina, Brazil and Chile

Abstract

The Defense scenario in South America displays an image that transcends relevant modernization processes, especially in Chile and Venezuela. In the region, long-standing ancient rivalries over geographic boundaries spur up over and over in the struggle to gain natural resources or as a consequence of socio-political crises that impulse certain governments to raise nationalist banners, to which racial, socio-economic, and political tension, ever growing drug trafficking, organized crime, handgun trafficking, etc. are added. Whether or not this crisis gets out of hand and adds even more disturbances and conflicts to the crises mentioned above will depend on the maturity of current decision-makers and their communities as well as on a progressive integration process such as that of Mercosur (which should begin to move towards more political agendas to adjust to the new scenarios) and on constructive long-term political exchange with the United States.