State power
The formerly ”public” task of controlling stations, government districts, shopping malls and residential areas is often taken on by private security enterprises. Even small offences are punished heavily and are criminalised. This happend in a legalised way in the North, while in the South it is out of social control. The heading for this strategy is ”zero tolerance”.In the context of these developments the role of the state must be discussed, taking into account the different evaluations from a Southern and a Northern perspective. Thus, the Left in Germany criticises state control and describes it fundamentally as an instrument of power. A braod majority of the Left in Latin America however would appreciate a well-working police power within the confines of democratic law.
Police vehicles spread terror in favelas of Rio de Janeiro · 21.03.06
- article published by indymedia – 
Several social organizations are organizing a campaign against the use of the “caveirao” by the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro. “Caveirao” is the name of armour planting and heavily armed vehicles that enter favelas and poor areas of Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) in order to “fight drug traffic”. But, according to residents and campaign organizers, “the action methods of the “caveirao” are there to spread fear, not guarantee security.
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The Sum of Possible Influence
South American cities between nation-building and globalisation · 19.02.06
- by Krystian Woznicki –
In recent times, a change has been emerging, one that has a lot to do with the fact that South America has been gradually able to put its dictatorships behind it – the »third wave of democracy« was also to embrace the continent. The political transformation represents a common denominator among the various nations, but will they be able to build upon this and find a common cultural language that unites the continent over national borders? This is not about the rebellious tendencies of a united South America towards the US imperium, which even in Germany are seen with some misgivings. Instead, it is mostly about finding a framework of meaning within the supranational context that mediates between the nation-state and globalisation in the democratic era. In this project, the capital cities become the focus of interest.
The overcoming of the dictatorships is in itself enough to give seats of government a new meaning. Forty percent of the respective population is concentrated in cities like Lima, Caracas, Buenos Aires and Santiago. These cities thus represent the central political, economic and cultural stage upon which the democratic system is tested and formed.