ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that much of the violence imposed on the people of Central America by their governments is a product of US policy—a product financed by US taxpayers. It explores the relationship between United States economic and military assistance to Latin America and recipient governments' repression of certain fundamental human rights. The ultimate irony of the current US policy on human rights in Central America is that it defeats the very goal it is designed to achieve: regional stability. Genuine stability is possible only under regimes which are prepared to respect the human rights of all social classes. Lars Schoultz's assessment of US policy towards human rights violators is confirmed by research carried out by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS). IPS concludes that the United States stands at the supply end of a pipeline which funnels repressive technology to practically all the world's most repressive right-wing regimes.
