Chile and the search for modernization of its Army during the transition to democracy

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the search for military modernization and restructuring that led to the transformation of the Chilean Army at the beginning of the 21st century. We present a brief discussion on changes in military institutions, seeking to identify factors or conditions that drive these change processes, and to assess to what extent political authorities exercise control over these changes. We also analyze the case of the Chilean Army in the 1990s, according to the following aspects: international political conjuncture, domestic political conjuncture, disputes and military tensions in the Chilean environment, perception of adverse military capabilities, perception of the very Chilean military capabilities, and the Chilean strategic culture. Finally, we outline the 1994 plan for modernization of the Chilean Army. Our conclusion is that the process of modernization of the Chilean Army during the transition to democracy emerged within the armed institution itself, coming from the very top level, and it was mainly motivated by reasons of international and domestic prestige.