The Distinctiveness of the Latin American Security System—Why Is It so Different? Public International Law Perspective

This chapter highlights the distinctiveness of international law as applied and formed by the Latin American States with regard to the security issues. Following the concept pursued in this book, the chapter will be divided into four parts. The first one, ideas, discusses the principles of non-intervention and commitment to democracy as the fundaments of the Latin American security system; the second one, interests, concerns the Latin American States’ security interests; the third part, institutions, is focused on the Latin American institutional security framework; and finally, interactions show the relations between the Latin American and universal security systems from the perspective of international law. The thesis advanced in this paper is that Latin American security system is distinct from the universal one not only in terms of important security issues, history and pursued policies, but also because of the specific application and understanding of principles and institutions of international law, which underline the autonomy of the Latin American region from the rest of the international community.