The update of Chile's Defense Policy, an important task that is overdue

At the end of the day, we need a Defense Policy that is not only timely but also provides everyone with the assurance that it is addressing the real issues we face in national security and defense.

June 19, 2024, El Mostrador

By law, the Undersecretariat of Defense has three main responsibilities: Defense Policy and military policy; the assessment of risks and threats to the country in the realm of external security; and, thirdly, the primary planning of National Defense, ensuring that secondary planning aligns with the former.

Ideally, a newly elected government should include in its program proposal what it intends to do regarding international relations, national security, and Defense. If a new Defense Policy or an update of the existing one is necessary—something very likely given the complex times we are currently in—it should occur within the first six months of taking office.

Obviously, what I am asking for in the previous paragraph is difficult, as Ricardo Montero is the fourth Undersecretary of Defense, a rotation that makes it hard to advance on important matters, especially when urgent issues—internal security problems—have kept him occupied outside his office.

I know that for several months now, this issue has been a priority for him, and that he has hired Marcos Robledo, who was Undersecretary of Defense during Bachelet’s second term, to advance the proposal that the Minister of Defense must subsequently present to the President, who, if in agreement, will sign and promulgate it. I hope this happens soon, as the last version from a leftist government was released as a Defense Book rather than a policy (as required by law) on March 8, 2018, the last business day of Michelle Bachelet’s second term, when it was already practically useless.

The current policy is the work of Cristian de la Maza, who was Undersecretary of Defense during Piñera’s second term. It is perhaps, alongside the Defense Book of 1997, the best document available on the subject. It only requires the updates that a four-year-old document might need, but in essence, it has the structure and content one expects from the policy that should guide our efforts in Defense and national security, placing emphasis where it is due. The prior socialization before its approval was not easy. It was accused of being more of a naval policy, with military and air aspects relegated to a secondary position, to which I can only say that geography dictates (for more information on the current Defense Policy, it is recommended to follow this link).

For some reason, there was insistence that the new Defense Policy be socialized, of a public and democratic nature, something that is not a legal requirement, but which conceptually aligns with the guiding ideas of equality and community from the socialist philosopher Gerald Cohen, which one would expect to find in a government with such sensitivities, and which apply to various areas of national reality.

The main socialization exercise conducted was one organized in the second quarter, at the facilities of Anepe, by the Plans and Policies Division, under the Undersecretariat of Defense. Over four Thursdays, various important topics were presented that are part of what one might expect to find in a policy of this type, but not the policy itself, fully developed with all its components.

Moreover, these were not sessions that allowed for open discussion, where the entire Defense community was represented, which is expected to occur when the draft is presented, obviously before it is sent to the Presidency for approval and publication. I mention all this if the intention is to remain true to the idea of it being public, democratic, and socialized by all sectors (for more information on the activity organized by the Undersecretariat of Defense, it is recommended to see this link).

Regardless of all the above, at the end of the day, we need a Defense Policy that is not only timely but also provides everyone with the assurance that it is addressing the real issues we face in national security and Defense, the risks and threats that overwhelm or unsettle us, and that will serve to establish military policy and an adequate force development, which generally involves long-term investments that extend beyond the four years of government.

For now, I wish the Undersecretary success with the Defense Policy, hoping that soon there will be a draft that can be analyzed by the community of specialists in the field, and that it immediately addresses the issues that concern us, including what to do with military service, the reality of a Chile that is quite militarized, how we can create opportunities for women, the development of civilian experts in national security, the funding required for the renewal of materials, and the creation of a national security system that includes a robust and effective intelligence system.

Richard Kouyoumdjian
Vice President AthenaLab