REVISED VERSION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I:  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................. 1

CHAPTER II:  INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................... 6

A. Historical Antecedents ................................................................................................................... 6

B. Assessment Objectives................................................................................................................. 11

C. Team Methodology...................................................................................................................... 11

CHAPTER III:  DEFINING THE DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE PROBLEM................. 12

A. Consensus .................................................................................................................................... 13

B. The Rule of Law .......................................................................................................................... 13

C. Competition ................................................................................................................................. 14

D. Inclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 15

E. Good Governance ........................................................................................................................ 16

CHAPTER IV:  ARENAS AND ACTORS........................................................................................... 17

A. The Legal Arena/Rule of Law...................................................................................................... 17

1. The Current Constitutional Framework........................................................................... 17

2. Political Manipulation of the Judiciary ........................................................................... 18

3. Judicial Reform............................................................................................................... 19

4. The Human Rights Situation ........................................................................................... 21

5. Role of the Ombudsman.................................................................................................. 21

B. Competitive Arenas ..................................................................................................................... 22

1. The Electoral Process...................................................................................................... 23

a. Presidential Elections ............................................................................................ 23

b. Congressional Elections ........................................................................................ 24

c. Two Steps Forward: Municipal Elections and the  Quota Law ........................... 25

d. The Guardians of the System: Actors, Interests, and Possible Allies .................... 26

2.  Parties and the Party System ........................................................................................... 27

3. The Media as an Arena for Competition......................................................................... 29

a. Fragility of the Sector............................................................................................ 29

b. Absence of Political Information and Debate........................................................ 29

c. Intimidation and Self Censorship .......................................................................... 30

d. Media in the Provinces .......................................................................................... 30

4. The General Elections of 2000: Competition and Controversy....................................... 31

a. The Vote Counting and its Aftermath.................................................................... 33

C.  The Governance Arena ................................................................................................................ 35

1. Governance in the Legislative Branch:  Representation.................................................. 36

a. Legislative Decision Making, Debate over Public Policy..................................... 36

2. Governance in the Executive Branch:  

Cara Buena, Cara Mala

.................................... 38

a. Cara Buena: Social Investment, Infrastructure Development................................ 39

b. Cara Mala: Concentration of Power ...................................................................... 40

c. Executive Branch Accountability .......................................................................... 41

3. Civil Military Relations .................................................................................................. 41

4. Patronage and Public Sector Corruption ......................................................................... 42

D. Decentralization and Local Government...................................................................................... 43

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