Crafting Civilian Control of the Military in Venezuela: A Comparative Perspective

Unlike most other emerging South American democracies, Venezuela has not succumbed to a successful military coup d'état during four decades of democratic rule. What drives armed forces to follow the orders of elected leaders? And how do emerging democracies gain that control over their military establishments? Harold Trinkunas answers these questions in an examination of Venezuela’s transition to democracy following military rule and its attempts to institutionalize civilian control of the ...