Resumo

RESTREPO-BOTERO, Darío I.. Decentralization towards equity. Econ. soc. territ [online]. 2012, vol.12, n.40, pp.793-821. ISSN 2448-6183.

The processes of decentralization in Latin America are debated between two fundamental forces. One claims the construction of an institutional architecture adapted to the expansion of the neoliberal logic; while other, the socialization of the political, administrative and economic power. Two countries of federal tradition, Mexico and Brazil and two unitary ones, Colombia and Bolivia help to illustrate the transformations realized by virtue of the processes of decentralization and to justify the need of a strategic package of reforms towards the social, political and territorial equity.

Palavras-chave : decentralization; Latin America; neoliberalism; socialization of the power.