Chile Informed Question Paper - Military
Abstract
Chile's Armed Forces are an effective and professional organization. Approximately 87,000 men and women serve in the Army, Air Force, Navy (including Marine and Coast Guard) as well as the paramilitary police force the Caribonari and Investigative Police. The role of the armed forces, as defined in the constitution, is to protect the country and guarantee institutional order. This role extends to the defense of national institutions against internal as well as external threats. The military's role in Chilean government continues to transition from the authoritarian regime of General Augusto Pinochet, which lasted from 1973 until 1990, to greater civilian authority. Significantly, the current Minister of Defense, Michelle Bachelet, is the daughter of a Chilean Air Force (AFCh) general who lost his life while jailed for sedition by Pinochet. The Chilean people and armed forces have been conflicted over Pinochet's legacy a legacy of extreme human rights abuses combined with a liberal economic policy which brought prosperity to the country. Pinochet's extradition from Great Britain, trial and subsequent finding of mental incapacity followed by virtual public disappearance appear to have ended his influence on the country and demonstrate a nearly complete democratic transition. External threats are minimal. Disputes with neighboring Peru, Bolivia and Argentina have been relegated to diplomatic solutions by a combination of recognized superior military strength and regional economic integration. Internally, Chile also faces little threat; however, militants from the Mapuche indigenous population in the south-central region of the country have become more active in recent years, blocking roads, burning forests and rioting. Some small insurgent groups may exist on the fringes, left over from the Pinochet era. Finally, illegal immigration, drugs, and crime, while considerably less evident than in most countries, appear to be an increasing problem.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA441594
Entities
People
- Robert H. Hendricks
Organizations
- National War College