DT18 | The Security of the State of Chile

The State of Chile currently faces a volatile, uncertain, and ambiguous international scenario, marked by competition among great powers, in which new threats and risks are emerging at an increasingly rapid pace. In the face of unpredictable scenarios, a State without an adequate security architecture confronts problems without a strategic perspective and, fundamentally, has no choice but to improvise and react.

In this sense, and with a multidimensional approach to security, the spectrum of problems that the State must address ranges from the extreme of external armed aggression, the adverse effects of climate change, cyberattacks, and the actions of transnational criminal organizations to issues affecting the country’s interests in other parts of the world.

Considering that the primary purpose of the State is to promote the common good and provide security to its citizens, to ensure the independence and self-determination of the population, and to maintain the territorial integrity of the Republic—conditions that are necessary and indispensable for achieving the development and well-being of citizens—it is imperative to have a permanent structure, at the highest level, that safeguards this desired condition.

Furthermore, the very concept of national security elicits, in some individuals and groups, a certain reluctance, arguing that it is outdated or no longer in use. However, international evidence indicates the exact opposite, confirming that both the function and the terminology used are universally applicable and relevant.

This study aims to address questions regarding the relevance of the concept of national security and, in turn, the necessity of assuming a basic function of the State, which is security, through an official structure and foundational documents. To this end, the origin and definition of the concept of national security will first be reviewed, followed by an examination of its use at the international level. In this regard, research was conducted at leading universities worldwide, as well as its application by various States, including democracies that serve as a reference for Chile. In this sense, it was verified which countries have some form of national security structure and which have issued official documents on the matter. Finally, some propositions are presented regarding the characteristics that an eventual national security architecture and the corresponding foundational documents should possess.