ABSTRACT
As explored in Chapter 6, crime and violence have had significant effects on the politics of Central America. Increasing violence has shaped civil–military relations by promoting the militarization of policing and realigning the mission and roles of the armed forces. This chapter uses public opinion surveys in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala to explore the effects of crime and insecurity on democratic values. The focus is on how the victimization and perception of insecurity affect support for the political system and key democratic attitudes. The effects examined in this chapter speak to the underlying values in post-conflict Central America and how ongoing violence undermines democratic consolidation.
