Electoral Observation and Democratic Transitions in Latin America (U.S.-Mexico Contemporary Perspectives Series, 14)

What impact has electoral observation had on transitions to democracy in Latin America, and what direction should it take in the future? In addressing these and related questions, the contributors to this volume examine the evolution of electoral observation strategies since the 1980s, the relative contributions that foreign and domestic observers can make to free and fair elections and to the democratization process more generally, and the principal lessons learned from electoral observation initiatives in Latin America during the 1980s and 1990s. In addition to essays examining the main elements and overall political significance of electoral observation, the volume includes chapters assessing such efforts in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.