Democratization and Its Qualitative Impact on Argentine Foreign Policy

Abstract

The foreing policies put into practices by the Menem and Alfonsín administrations are the most recent chapter of a history that contains numerouse examples of rutpures -and also of continuities- between succesive governments belonging to one same regime, whether democratic or authoritarian. This history also shows that it is possible to identify important ruptures within one same government. This history also shows that it is possible to identify important ruptures within one same government. The changes introduced in the Argentine foreign policy by the Galtieri administration during the Malvinas war is an obligatory reference in this sense. Alfonsín himself introduced significant changes in the management of the external debt issue, particularly after the removal of his first minister of Economy, Bernardo Grinspun. On its part, the Menem administration, after some initial ambiguities, has given an increasing importance and, finally, a clear priority to the Mercosur. Likewise, it is clear that one same government can be aggressive in one case (Videla vis-à-vis Chile and Bolivia) and cooperative in others (Videla vis-à-vis Brazil)