The Influence of American Institutions in Latin America

Abstract

United States influence has had a major role in the formation of Latin American political institutions, especially with respect to the separation of powers, the two- chamber legislature, the central role of the president, and the requirement for periodic elections. European influences have been more marked in administrative organization and the legal system, and there have been some attempts to institute cabinet responsibility to the legislature. However, both models have been adapted to the idiosyncracies of the political dynamics of the region, especially to the frequency of dictatorship, rebellions, and other emergencies.