Congresses in Latin America: reactive legislatures potentially active

Abstract

This article analyzes the role of Latin American parliaments in the processes of formulation and implementation of public policies during the current period of democratization. The starting point of this analysis is the already established characterization of these parliaments as reactive legislatures, which not only acknowledges that the legislative initiative belongs to the president, but also that parliamentary reactions are wide and varied. Then, the article emphasizes the multifunctional role of parliaments, that is, the fact that they participate in the production of laws as well as in activities of political control, the latter often disregarded in current characterizations.