Crisis, Coroneles & Constitucionalismo: A Study of the Quality of Democracy in Ecuador

Abstract

Presents an analysis of the quality of Ecuadorian democracy. Examines the political and cultural background of Ecuador’s constitutional history, including the role of military intervention and the increasing influence of indigenous action in political crises. Ecuador has many of the institutions necessary to maintaining a stable Latin American democracy, including a military with a constitutional mission. There is much room for improvement, however, and it is the premise of this paper that Ecuador is a democracy, albeit a developing one with weak cultural and economic foundations.

Keywords: constitutionalism, democracy, Ecuador, Latin America, military, indigenous