Chile and the Need for Strategic Thinking

El Líbero, June 14, 2024

The use of military instruments to combat threats to public security must be based on a thorough analysis of their importance, their contribution to the ultimate objective, and always considering the significance of National Defense.

This week, the use of military instruments in the fight against organized crime has been discussed again. While these comments occur within the context of an upcoming presidential race and the positioning of each candidate for La Moneda, it is relevant to analyze the issue from a broader perspective, always placing Chile at the center.

Proposing to resort to the Armed Forces to combat crime suggests that the distortion in public order has reached a level where police institutions have been overwhelmed and the political power is incapacitated to perform its functions normally.

Perhaps many would confirm the above, but reality shows us something very different. Currently, the police fulfill their constitutional mission, and successful operations are observed. We can debate the need for modernization in the face of new threats, but strictly speaking, it is not possible to claim that they have been overwhelmed by them.

The political power, for its part, can carry out the decision-making process, develop sectoral strategies, and manage public security without problems. It is not possible to suggest that the disruption of public order impacts its functioning.

So, why resort to such proposals? There is no doubt that the rule of law has regressed in certain areas of the country. The encampments in the northern and central regions are an example. The Macro South Zone is also a case in point. It is true that it is quite appealing to point to the Armed Forces when they are seen as an efficient instrument for solving security problems, but that is not the correct argument.

The use of military instruments to combat threats to public security must be based on a thorough analysis of their importance, their contribution to the ultimate objective, and always considering the significance of National Defense. Moreover, their deployment in national territory occurs within the framework of a limited State of Exception, and the importance of that exceptional nature is its contribution to building the State’s capacities to address the challenge.

Putting the issue in perspective is not a whim; it involves thinking strategically about the country. Analyzing its environment, understanding the nature of the challenges, identifying and addressing gaps and weaknesses. In other words, placing Chile at the center, strengthening the rule of law, and regaining control of the territory. This cannot be achieved solely through a proposal to deploy military forces.

National Defense plays a fundamental role in contributing to the creation of an environment free from threats and risks. The police enable the control of public order and the investigation of crime, but confronting organized crime requires much more than that. It needs to address the social, political, and economic aspects of the problem. It requires a strong and corruption-free State and a convinced political power. In other words, it requires strategic thinking.

The challenge is no longer to generate the diagnosis or to devise actions to combat it. The challenge is to think strategically about Chile.

Pilar Lizana
Senior Researcher, AthenaLab

Source: El Líbero