LATIN AMERICA

In this class we talked about latin America and the diferences of the countries even though we are in the same continent.
In Latin-America it does not exist politics coordination between the States. It does not exist a “Latin-American consensus”, each nation has its own criteria to solve the problematic and to take decisions.
In Latin-America there exist 3 political regimes:

• Center Left: The countries are Brasil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Gutemala. Political formations of moderate left, moved away of the revolutionary left or the Communism, includes the social democracy, the social christianism and the socio liberalism, defends the mixed economy and regulation of the market to guarantee equality.
  


• Radical left: The countries are Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Cuba. Their policies turn around the equality, based in Stalinists, Marxist, Leninists theories and Trotskism, total opposition to Capitalism, tendencies to Populism, distribution of the richness only freed to the free game of the forces of the market, only will produce inequity that will take to low income sectors of the population to be excluded.
  Latin-America is facing a phenomenon of authoritarian governments with authoritarian regimes that are applying undemocratic practices , the State is everything and only it defines who is friend and who is enemy.
  


• Center right: The countries are Colombia, Peru, Mexico. They have more preservative ideas, although without going to the ends, they are not radically conservative, they are in favor of the free market.

In Latin-America exists diversity in politics, in the way the countries are being governed, but it is important to mention that in the next two years could happen a very interesting political change in the region, due to the elections in many of the countries.

Latin America has some Integration Agreements like ALADI, CARICOM, CAN, ALCA, MERCOSUR, SELA.
The population of Latin America is a composite of ancestries, ethnic groups, and races, making the region one of the most diverse in the world. The mixture of indigenous and European cultures created the mestizo.

QUESTION: According to Burlyai (2001) how has been the process of integration in Latin America? :

The process of integration has been every time more economic dependent "in the U.S, and this will lead in the mid and long term to a closer orientation on Washingtons policy course. Some particular importance attaches to integration processes in latin America, process based on the "open regionalis" principle as well as a wish for greater diversification of extra-regional ties.

Latin America Integration Association (LAIA) is one of the conduits for initiative, is one of the boggest and most authoritative regionnal organisations geared mostly to he creation of a Latin America common market.Latin America has show some interest in scientific an technical sphere, is know that is looking for differente aliances and common work with different countries.

The western Hemisphere aspires to becoming the world first area of "solid integration" creating Inter America Free trade zone on 2005, From Alaska to tierra del fuego"

Bibliography: Integration Processes in the Western Hemisphere. International Affairs: A Russian Journal of World Politics, Diplomacy & International Relations, 2002, Vol. 48 Issue 5, p36-43.

2- According to at least other 3 additional academic sources, please explain how regional (economic or political) agreements in the Latin-American region have affected the way of doing business in the region. (Provide full reference)

All the regional agreements have affected Latin America’s way of doing business reinforcing each countries political view. The agreements have consolidated and have made more concentrated the different political blocks. Colombia and Mexico with an international perspective that grasps scenarios beyond Latin America. With their liberal policies and world wide relationships. And countries like Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia, with their socialist tendencies, enclosing and consolidating themselves as the new main actors in the Latin Americas.

Even so, we can observe agreements such as the Trade Benefit programs (like CAN) that have helped in great manner the development of several industries within the Latin American sphere.

In the present time it is common to analyze the importance and great role that different Free Trade Agreements are having in the foreign national policies as ways to progress, but again, each country by itself.

It would be an interesting strategy to face FTA’s with Latin American countries as consolidated blocks offering to the international community such as USA or EU or even ASEAN more stability and opportunities.

Mexico for example has opted for completely solitaire move. It decided to be separated from Latin America and be part of North America thru agreements such as NAFTA, with excellent results for it.

But this regarding the Northern Latin American countries. The MERCOSUR with members with such potential like Brazil, Chile and Argentina, show a more cooperative strategy, reinforcing and gaining stability and international credibility due to their combined strengths.

Bibliography:
Schelhase, Marc. 2009. "The regionalisation of organised business interests in the Mercosur: an empirical case study and some theoretical observations." International Studies Association. Page: 1-29.

Burlyai, Jan. 2002. Integration Processes in the Western Hemisphere. “International Affairs: A Russian Journal of World Politics, Diplomacy & International Relations”., Vol. 48 Issue 5, p36-43

Bussey, Jane. 2008. "Businesses want stability in Andean trade pact." Miami Herald.

Image: www.ohio.edu/latinamerican/IMAGE/LA.jpg