These Latin American countries are now, more than ever, part of the world economy, which has made other nations more interested in bolstering democracy in the region -- they now have investments to protect. The United States, for example, exert significant pressure on these Latin American democracies. The U.S. has stepped in to prevent military coups, and if it can't prevent the overthrow of democracy, it immediately punishes the new regime with economic sanctions. Before neoliberalism, few international countries had any sort of leverage over Latin American rulers and their insular economies. One salient example happened in Peru in 1992 when President Fujimori tried to dismiss the congress of Peru and install himself as a dictator. Fujimori had instituted neoliberal reforms and felt the need to concentrate power, but the United States warned him that going through with his autocratic plan meant severe consequences. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and...
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