Latin American Dictatorships
A Comparative Analysis of Authoritarian Regimes in the 20th Century
This analysis consolidates information about four authoritarian regimes in Latin America and the Caribbean: the Duvaliers in Haiti, the Somoza dynasty in Nicaragua, Pinochet in Chile, and Brazil's military dictatorship.
While each regime had unique characteristics, they shared common patterns of human rights violations, political repression, and the consolidation of power through violence.
Regime Profiles and Human Rights Records
François "Papa Doc" Duvalier (1957-1971) and his son Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier (1971-1986) established a brutal dictatorship maintained through state terror.
30,000 - 60,000 estimated casualties from killings and political violence.
Tonton Macoutes (Volunteers for National Security)
Fort Dimanche prison ("triangle of death")
No statute of limitations for crimes against humanity established in 2014, but Jean-Claude Duvalier died before trial.
The Somoza family ruled Nicaragua for over four decades through control of the National Guard and accumulation of personal wealth.
No precise overall casualty figure; known for political repression and assassinations.
National Guard
Assassination of Augusto César Sandino (1934), brutal crushing of political opponents
Overthrown by Sandinista revolution in 1979, leading to decades of political conflict.
Augusto Pinochet led a military junta that overthrew Salvador Allende's government, establishing a brutal dictatorship.
3,065 executed or forcibly disappeared.
40,018 survivors of political imprisonment and/or torture.
DINA (Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional) and CNI (Central Nacional de Informaciones)
Rettig Report (deaths/disappearances), Valech Report (torture/imprisonment)
Pinochet faced numerous legal proceedings but died before final conviction.
A military regime established after a coup d'état, characterized by systematic repression and censorship.
434 confirmed deaths and disappearances.
8,350+ Indigenous deaths due to state actions.
DOPS (Departamento de Ordem Política e Social) and military police
National Truth Commission (CNV) report (2014)
Documented systematic torture and arbitrary detention; gradual transition to democracy.
Comparative Analysis
While each regime had unique characteristics, several patterns emerge when comparing their methods and impacts:
The Somoza dynasty was the longest-lasting (43 years), followed by the Duvaliers (29 years), Brazil's military regime (21 years), and Pinochet's Chile (17 years).
Chile and Brazil established official truth commissions that documented human rights violations in detail, while Haiti and Nicaragua have less comprehensive official documentation.
All four regimes received varying degrees of U.S. support during the Cold War, often justified as opposing communist influence in the region.
Brazil experienced a gradual transition, Chile transitioned after a plebiscite, while Haiti and Nicaragua's regimes ended through popular uprisings.
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