The purpose of this paper is to address domestic intelligence laws in force in Latin America from a comparative perspective. Such laws are compared with those in force in countries exhibiting significant institutional advancement in which the intelligence activity features limits and controls. The comparative analysis shows the all-embracing scope characteristic of domestic intelligence in Latin America versus that of the countries used as comparison, and that this is the result of both the legislative allocation of conceptually wide-ranging and even vague functions and, in some cases, the consideration of the intelligence activity as a regular activity of the State, likely to be required in aid of policy-makers in any area. The paper concludes proposing that Latin American countries adopt more precise and strict concepts of domestic intelligence for the benefit of both the activity itself -enabling it to concentrate its human and material means and resources to issues that are truly basic to the State- and the validity of individual rights.
intelligence; limits; legislation; rights