Narco-Democratization is a must read for students and scholars of violence and crime in Latin America. Allan Gillies employs deep archival research to expertly trace the emergence of state-narco networks during Bolivias military dictatorship, then shows how these relationships evolved during the countrys transition to democracy. The result, unlike in other prominent cases, was the containment of violence at the expense of democratic consolidation. This book forces us to reconsider some of the prevailing assumptions about the Latin American state, its transition to democracy, and the drug wars that ensued. -- Nicholas Barnes, University of St. Andrews Grounded in nuanced political and historical research, Narco-Democratization offers a solid, empirically grounded analysis of relationships between political leaders and drug trafficking organizations in Bolivia. The books analytical framework offers a new way of thinking about complex patterns of state-criminal relations that can inform broader discussions about corruption and criminalization patterns in authoritarian and democratic systems. This is an important contribution to debates not just about crime and violence, but also about democracy and authoritarianism in Latin America. -- Enrique Desmond Arias, City University of New York
