Temporal Patterns in Latin American Truth Commission Recommendation Formulation and Implementation

What is it about?

We use original data on approximately 1,000 recommendations produced by 13 truth commissions established in 11 Latin American countries since 1983 to examine how recommendations and governments’ response to them have evolved over nearly 40 years. Truth commissions appear to be increasingly influenced by major global transitional justice and human rights developments as they formulate recommendations. They target specific identity groups in their recommendations, particularly after major global initiatives to recognize the rights of such groups. Yet, governments often forego implementing such recommendations. Recommendations also appear to be shaped by whether the commission closely follows a political transition. Commissions created long after transitions issue more recommendations dealing with reparations of all sorts, but do not invoke reconciliation, for example. Governments are more likely to implement reparations recommendations if they closely follow political transitions.

Featured Image