MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Citizens of Ecuador, Costa Rica, Chile, and Uruguay turn to 'iron fist' policies to fight insecurity

The study identifies politicians, weak judicial systems, and media sensationalism as key drivers of public fear.

A recent study conducted by the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) and the University of Santiago de Chile (USACH) reveals that citizens in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Chile, and Uruguay are increasingly open to harsh punitive measures, or mano dura, as a response to rising insecurity.

The research, reported by El País, highlights a widespread sense of fear and frustration among citizens, with 67% expressing a feeling of institutional abandonment. However, as the study shows, support for extreme measures tends to moderate after deeper discussion.

The project, titled Mano Dura y Erosión Democrática en América Latina (Iron fist and Democratic Erosion in Latin America), involved interviews with over 500 individuals from the four countries. It shows that 58% of respondents have positive perceptions of mano dura, especially in Ecuador and Costa Rica, where concerns about organized crime and violence are most acute. Nonetheless, Chile and Uruguay led in negative perceptions, with 39% and 31% of respondents opposing such measures.

Lucía Dammert, a sociologist from USACH and coordinator of the project, notes that there is a “positive view of what Bukele has done, because he has had results.” Yet, Dammert warns that while citizens admire tough approaches, they generally do not want extreme actions like closing Congress or military intervention at home, except in very rare cases. “People want effective measures, but they also value democratic norms,” she added.

The study identifies politicians, weak judicial systems, and media sensationalism as key drivers of public fear. Participants also cited drug trafficking and irregular migration as major factors contributing to the worsening security situation, particularly in Ecuador and Chile. In Ecuador, drug trafficking linked to Colombia and Mexico has become a primary concern, while in Chile, the rise in violent crime is blamed partly on Venezuelan migrants.

In response to insecurity, participants advocated for stronger police forces and increased imprisonment for violent crimes. However, the study found that deeper discussions about civil rights and democracy tended to moderate these punitive instincts. For instance, in Costa Rica, a country without a military, participants were less likely to support authoritarian measures.

The study reflects a broader trend in Latin America, where the perceived failure of democratic institutions to tackle crime has left citizens torn between upholding civil liberties and supporting authoritarian measures to restore order.