Oscar Arias Quotes

Given political history in Chile, it seemed to me that there was a critical task of consolidating a democracy and creating healthy civic-military and political-military relationships.

In a democracy such as ours military policy is dependent on public opinion.

The Ennahda-led government did something never before seen in the region: it willingly stepped down

What my job is, is to get on with getting the process of democratic politics, back on the road, entrenching the peace settlement, and I ask you to judge me on my record.

An overall trend of political moderation in Latin America makes for far less interesting headlines, but it also makes for far better lives for our people.

Democracies are expense-averse and they think in terms of short-term, political interests rather than a long-term interest in stability.

On Jan. 30, millions of Iraqis will cast ballots in the country's first fair and free election in decades, marking continued progress in Iraq's transition toward a country built on the pillars of democracy and freedom for all.

Venezuelans have a deep democratic conviction. If the government hotheads ventured out to stir violence they would encounter the armed forces. I don't believe the armed forces respond to a political party.

We seek in Central America not peace alone, not peace to be followed someday by political progress, but peace and democracy, together, indivisible, an end to the shedding of human blood, which is inseparable from an end to the suppression of human rights.

Iraqis have held elections and have recently put together their government, all encouraging developments.

A democracy is severely restricted in its use of armed forces as a weapon of peacetime foreign policy. It cannot manipulate them tactically on any extensive scale for the accomplishment of measures short of war.

The military in all these struggling democracies is an important player. They can take over the leadership or determine the leadership.

The peaceful transfer of authority is rare in history yet common in our country.

Our country is being bled daily in an effort to create a democracy in a place where it never existed.

I am not worried about this country ever going Communist. We have too much sense for that

No one will involve the army in political processes!

It is a very good warning to all of the dictators. If you lose an election, you have to go gacefully, or you will be disgraced.

Democracy is messy, clearly, but it has one key factor, which is an orderly transfer of power.

France has had socialist presidents on and off since the 1920s, and it remains a free country. Socialists have ruled in many South American countries without ushering in disaster.

We cannot have a separate group of people that are military and a separate civilian society. Otherwise, it's dangerous to democracy.

One of the cornerstones of our democracy is the peaceful transition of power.

If you search for Colombia on The Nation's website, you will see how key the country has been in regional politics.

South Africa now needs skilled and educated people to say 'How do we manage and develop this democratic country?'

Political freedom, as the Western world has known it, is only a political reading of the Bible.

Only a country that feels invulnerable can afford political turmoil as entertainment.