Perspectives on Apology in Latin America

An apology, which is defined as a formal admission of error accompanied by regret (www.merriam-webster.com), has become a commonly utilized political strategy for addressing issues from blatant errors to social injustice perpetrated by leaders. This chapter reviews the use of apology in the Latin American political context. First, historical examples from throughout the region are explained and analyzed. Next, data obtained from the Personal and Institutional Rights to Aggression and Peace Survey (PAIRTAPS; Malley-Morrison et al., 2003) are reported. Results indicated that, in general, Latin Americans agree that apology is an important tool for reconciliation subsequent to conflict or injustice, although they vary regarding the context and degree to which it should be applied.