Recycling Dictators in Latin American Elections: Legacies of Military Rule

What explains the presence—and the surprising performance—of former authoritarian-regime officials in Latin American presidential elections? To answer that question, Brett J. Kyle examines the experiences of twelve countries that transitioned from military to civilian government in the Third Wave of democratization. His persuasive analysis, incorporating case studies of Chile, Argentina, Guatemala, and El Salvador, sheds new light on the consolidation of democracy in Latin America.