The recently concluded historic IV UNASUR Summit which Guyana had the distinction and privilege to host adopted a very important and pertinent document during its deliberations, and that is the democracy clause which empowers the bloc to seriously sanction any attempt to disrupt a democratic government.
The history of South America and Latin America is characterised by a long list of instances where democratic rule has been disrupted and brutal dictatorships installed, especially during the Cold War era as one of the then superpowers saw this part of the world as its “backyard” and as such any government which it felt was a threat to its political and economic interests had to go-whether covertly or overtly.
In recent history, there was the overthrow of the Jao Goulart government in Brazil in 1962 which led to over a decade of rule by the brutal Caetano dictatorship; in the 1960s Anglo-American forces in collaboration with local reactionaries feverishly through both covert and overt means to overthrow the pre-independence PPP government led by the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan; in 1973 the Salvador Allende government in Chile was overthrown in a bloodbath and the Pinochet dictatorship installed which the country under military rule for over two decades.
Notably in all the above instances the CIA was directly involved in the plots to overthrow democratically elected governments and install dictatorships, yet the country from which that organisation originates claims to be the champion of democratic ideals.
In more recent Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was overthrown but quickly reinstated and only a few weeks ago an unsuccessful attempt to overthrown President Rafael Correa of Peru was made by mutinous police.
This suppression of democratic rule in almost all the South American countries has led to tremendous political instability for long periods and consequently economic stagnation and social development and high levels of poverty.
It is therefore against the political history of the continent that the leaders of UNASUR were influenced to initiate and adopt such a protocol which would serve to discourage those who may have intentions of seizing power by illegal means.
The adoption also shows that the bloc is not just a “talk shop”, but rather an organisation that is clearly aware of the continental challenges, and equally important, are implementing measures expeditiously to confront those challenges.
President Bharrat Jagdeo acknowledged this following the conclusion of the Summit: “I was there at that meeting when the ideas were spoken about…and to move from there to where we are today…to have a constitutive treaty, several councils functioning, UNASUR taking positions when there is a disruption of constitutional order, specific plans to integrate infrastructure and energy…we have come a long way. And so, while I am very concerned about meetings which people just speak without acting, UNASUR has demonstrated a track record of action, moving from just a concept to a reality to carve a bigger space for South America in the world.”
Speaking on the protocol he explained: “It is empowering UNASUR through the treaty to intervene when we have any interruption of democracy in the region. Take, for example, the case of Ecuador. We must not only support the Ecuadorian government but we must also find out what happened.”
It is therefore clear that while there are monumental challenges and issues to be confronted, UNASUR, as a relatively young organisation in bloc politics, is on the right track and is dealing with issues by a frontal approach and this is a good signal for all the people of this continent.