Argentina y el nuevo patrón de inestabilidad política en América Latina

Abstract

On December 19, 2001, food riots erupted in several Argentine cities. Within hours, the riots escalated into a broad protest against the government and social unrest unfolded into a full institutional debacle. Two administrations collapsed in less than two weeks, the country defaulted on the service of his debt, and political instability returned to the country after eighteen years of democratic rule. This essay traces the development of the Argentine political crisis and argues that this episode illustrates a rising trend in Latin America. The first part of this paper explores the unfolding of the crisis and its resolution. The second part compares the Argentine case with seven other similar episodes that took place in Latin America after 1990. I conclude that a new model of political instability —charaterized by low military intervention, high po pular mobilization, and a critical role of congress— is emerging in the region.