Anti-Militarism

Description: Aligned with pro-democracy movements, IRTF opposes militarism in Latin America because the military is used to suppress democratic movements and to maintain economic inequality and exploitation. Security forces (police, military) are often used in “counter-insurgency,” i.e., against what are labeled as domestic enemies (whether they be armed guerrilla rebels or unarmed Indigenous rights groups). Too often, members of social movements are labeled as guerrillas to justify attacks by government security forces against them. The “insurgents” are often people defending their basic rights. The US—in its quest to promote political and economic dominance over Latin America—has propped up military forces in the region since the early 20th century. Making the region secure for foreign investment has been a key policy objective. Targets in that objective have been groups challenging centuries-long structural economic inequality.

Vision: IRTF envisions a world where US relations with Central America and Colombia have moved beyond mostly military-to-military ties toward relationships that develop and uphold self-determination, freedom, democracy, and social and economic justice. By shifting money and human resources away from militarism—in the US and in Central America and Colombia—more resources are devoted to meeting human needs.