Title: How the U.S. Government Makes Latin American Policy
1How the U.S. Government Makes Latin American
Policy
2What is the implicit power relation?
3The President and Latin American Policy I
- Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution
- Power to make treaties with foreign governments
- Two-thirds of senate must ratify
4The President and Latin American Policy II
- Commander in chief of armed forces
- Traditionally great latitude
- 1973 War Powers Resolution
- Report to congress within 48 hours of committing
- Terminate within 60 days if congress has not
declared war - Never formally invoked
5The President and Latin American Policy III
- Breaking diplomatic relations
- Traditionally viewed as last resort
- Especially serious for countries in the Caribbean
Basin - Trade
- Foreign investment
- Appointing and utilizing ambassadorial personnel
6Presidential Advisory System The State
Department
- Bureau of Inter-American Affairs one of five
geographic bureaus of the State Department - Coordinated by the Assistant Secretary of State
for Latin American Affairs - Functions range from congressional liaison to
manage policy in particular sub-region of the
hemisphere
7Effectiveness of Bureau of Inter-American Affairs
depends on Foreign Service Personnel
- Embassy staff (country team) in each Latin
American country - Represents U.S. government in formal
inter-governmental exchanges - Administers development programs
- Irons out travel problems
- Works closely with the armed forces
8Hierarchical nature of the State Department and
complex character of its representational
functions have created major problems for
presidents who expected quick responses to
executive initiatives
9Presidential Advisory System The National
Security Council I
- National Security Council 1947
- Statutory Members
- President
- Vice President
- Secretaries of State and Defense
- Advisors
- Director CIA
- Chairman of JCS
10Presidential Advisory System National Security
Council II
- National Security Assistant runs NSC
- NSC contains a team of regional/functional
specialists - Focused on the White House
- Disputes often arise between NSC and the
Department of State over the conduct of foreign
policy
11Presidential Advisory System The CIA
- Formed in 1947 from the OSS and Latin American
Bureau of FBI - Intelligence gathering
- Covert action
12Presidential Advisory System Use of the CIA
- Carter and Clinton placed controls on CIA
- Concern with human rights violations
- Opposition and consternation within professional
intelligence community - Restraints loosened in wake of 9-11
13Role of Congress
- Imperial presidency gives way to increased
congressional involvement -
- Battle over aid to the Contras
- Democratic congress Republican President
- Personalities
- Iran Contra complicates the struggle
- Determined and skillful president almost
unstoppable
14Military Missions
- Training and influence
- Combat insurgencies after 1969
- El Salvador and Central America in the 1980s
- Southern Command relocated to Tampa
- School of the Americas Controversy
- Contemporary emphasis on Colombia
15Southern Command
- Coordinated all U.S. military activities in the
Caribbean Basin and South America - Defense of the canal
- Traditional center for Control of MILGROUPS
- Relocated to Tampa, Fl. upon return of the canal
to Panama - School of the Americas
- Controversy over how it accomplished its mission
while at Fort Gulick - Relocation to Fort Benning and reorganization
16Other Governmental Participants in Latin American
Policy Making
- AID and the Peace Corps
- Overseas Private Investment Corporation and
Export-Import Bank - Information and Cultural Exchanges
- Drug Enforcement Agency
17MOST OF OFFICIAL WASHINGTON VIEWS LATIN AMERICA
AS A REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL ARENA OF SECONDARY
IMPORTANCE