In the week that just ended, Colombia hosted three events annuals of different regional integration organizations, which shows the wide range of mechanisms that exist in the region.
In Latin AmericaSince time immemorial, different alliances have been colluded for various reasons, among which are political, social and even economic.
“In the region there are more than ten integration and cooperation blocks. Formally created by States, there are a large number of organizations that have been responding to different ideologies and dynamics, in accordance with the interests of each moment given by the State”explained Gabriel Orozco, professor of international relations at the Simon Bolivar University.
Thus, the region has a history of organisms ranging from the Latin American Integration Association (Aladi), the Andean Community of Nations (CAN); the Southern Common Market (Mercosur); the Pacific Alliance (PA); the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) the Forum for the Progress of South America (Prosur), among others.
“Something that is curious about organizations is that they are not known to come to an end. There is even talk of the phenomenon of ‘organizacioncitis’ in the region“, He said Alejandro Bohorquez-Keeney, Professor of Finance, Government and International Relations at the External University from Colombia.
THE ECONOMIC
Broadly speaking, the region has three economic blocks highly relevant: the CAN, the Pacific Alliance and Mercosur.
Of the three, the oldest union is the CAN (1969), but which has been declining for some time, according to Bohórquez-Keeney, due to perceptions that “they are bureaucrats” or “that they do not have clear priorities.”
Despite this, in recent times, there seems to be a rebound in the organization, with heartfelt signs from the Andean leaders of Ecuador and Colombia.
“The CAN has a promising present as long as the different trade policies are not interfered to a great extent by the ideological perspectives of the Government“, He said Mario of the Bridge, director of the International Trade Observatory of the North University.
Part of this push was the elimination at the beginning of the year of roaming in the four member countries.
According to the organization, in 2020 this block added exports for US$96,009 million.
Mercosur is the second oldest economic bloc of the region (1991) and, currently, it goes through a diatribe product of the marked ideological differences of its greatest referents Brazil, with President Jair Bolsonaro, and Argentina, with his counterpart Alberto Fernández.
Hence, the future of the block lies in smoothing out these rough edges and resolving France’s climate claims to sign an agreement with the European Union (EU).
“Uruguay is the only one that seems to be interested because being in the middle of these two giants, it can take the blows that the other two take (…) It is in a low stage after many years of success.”
According to the statistical office of the continental bloc, in 2020 they added exports for US$284,665 million.
The Pacific Alliance, another well-known one for Colombia, is the most recent regional integration bloc and has a more defined future than the rest.
This week, the AP signed a free trade agreement with Singapore, which makes it an Associated State, the first in a series of new incorporations and rapprochement with the Asia-Pacific region and also define the next admission of Ecuador.
“One of the bloc’s challenges is to strengthen its presence in Asia-Pacific with a view to strengthening trade between the two regions.s,” de la Puente added.
In March, Gabriel Boric will assume the presidency of Chile, a founding member, and has already made it clear that he will support this mechanism, but will rule out Prosur.
IDEOLOGY LOCKS ORGANISMS
According to the analysts consulted, the main challenge of the integration blocs is that they are blocked by the various political ideologies of the moment, being promoted by leaders who, once they disappear, take the organization with them. An example is the case of Hugo Chávez, former president of Venezuela, with Unasur and ALBA.
ROBERTO CASAS LUGO
BRIEFCASE
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