Documentos CIDOB América Latina; 8

An analysis of the relationship between the judicial system and the quality of democracy in the countries of the isthmus of Central America, based on the perception of judges as key actors in the construction of a judicial system. To establish this diagnosis, the problems of the judicial system of each of the Central American countries are described, analysing the main dimensions of judicial power – judicial independence, access to justice and the effectiveness and efficiency of the justice administration. In this sense, judges identify the lack of access, the shortage of economic as well as human resources, the lack of trust in justice, the slowness of processes and the lack of judicial independence as being the main problems for Central America as a whole. Bearing in mind the factors commented upon and following a country-by-country analysis, this article summarises how levels of satisfaction with democracy vary considerably over time, both in the region as a whole and in the different countries themselves. Between 1996 and 2001, the degree of satisfaction of the citizens of Central America was relatively low, since, with the exception of Costa Rica, only a third of the citizens of the Central American countries gave a positive assessment of the democratic experience.

Marisa Ramos, Technical Advisor, Directorate-General for Cooperation with Latin America, Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI)

ISSN: 1697-7688 (print edition)

ISSN: 1697-8137 (online edition)

44 pp.

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