Military's Gain Is Democracy's Loss In Peru - Analysis

[Judi Lynn]

File photo of police in Lima, Peru


August 21, 2023
By Geopolitical Monitor

By Caleb Mills

Only months after then-President Pedro Castillo attempted an executive coup, Peru is set to implement a historic increase in military spending. In 2023 alone, the budget is set to expand by nearly $100 million, with a final budget projection of $2.6bn by 2028. Proponents argue this augmentation is necessary to combat an ever-growing laundry list of threats.

It’s true that Peru has had its hands full in recent years on issues ranging from narco-terrorism to Shining Path insurgents. However, it would be a mistake to evaluate this ballooning of defense spending without considering its political context. Considering recent flirtations with authoritarianism, this expansion of military strength poses troubling questions for the future of Peruvian democracy.

Originally proposed in August of 2022, Peru’s updated defense policy can trace its origins back to the Castillo regime. The former president had planned for a 9% increase in government spending before his departure, a plan which was largely left unaltered by his successor. Peru’s military budget has traditionally been weak compared to its neighbors. In 2021, the portion of Peru’s GDP spent on defense was 1.12%, well behind Chile, Ecuador, Brazil and Colombia. However, there has not been a correlation between the prosperity of Peru as a nation and its military spending. Despite spending less on their armed forces, Peru is much wealthier and economically prosperous than both Ecuador and Colombia.

. . .

Peru is surrounded by evidence that an unchecked military is a threat to democracy. Since World War II Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Ecuador, Columbia, and Venezuela have all experienced a coup, most of which involved the military. Bolivia alone has experienced 11 successful coups since 1950. Taken together, from 1900 to 2006 Latin America experienced 162 coups. However, perhaps what is most alarming is the attitudes towards a military coup in Peru itself. In the midst of tremendous upheaval and instability, the security and steady stewardship offered by a military dictator can prove attractive to many. Survey data from January of 2023 showed that nearly 40% of Peruvians would approve of a military coup.

More:
https://www.eurasiareview.com/21082023-militarys-gain-is-democracys-loss-in-peru-analysis/