See you in court! Holding the military to account in Latin America

Abstract

The courtroom has become an increasingly common meeting place for retired military officials, and victims and their families who have suffered various forms of abuse at the hands of the military: torture, rape, forced exile, extrajudicial killings, detained-disappearance, massacres, genocide. This CMI Insight provides an overview of regional developments in transitional justice for past wrongs in Latin America, covering the period from the early transitions to democratic rule in the 1980s to the present. Special focus is placed on Argentina (the regional protagonist of criminal justice); Brazil (the regional under-achiever); and Colombia, which is trying to hold its military to account in the midst of an ongoing peace process. The Insight concludes that time and patience are of utmost importance for those waiting for justice.