Strengthening regional integration or a return to ideological blocks in Latin America?
According to the United Nation’s Economic Comission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), “regional integration is a multidimensional process, whose expressions include initiatives of coordination, cooperation, convergence and deep integration, and whose scope covers not only the themes economic and commercial, but also political, social, cultural and environmental”. However, in the case of Latin America, we may also aruge that an element of regional integration in the Americas has been motivated by ideological biases. Following Brazil’s intentions to rejoin the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), in this brief article we will explore this further by looking at the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and the Forum for the Progress and Integration of South America (PROSUR).
The creation of UNASUR came about during the pink tide, however, PROSUR soon came to existence as right-wing leaders came to power throughout the region. Looking at these two cases and recent statements in regard to potential revitalisation of UNASUR by Brazil and Argentina, what is the futur of regional integration in the region?
UNASUR: an over ambitious left-wing club?
UNASUR was established on the 28th of May 2008 via the signature of the Union of South American Nations Constitutive Treaty. The treaty came into force on the 11th March 2011 and UNASUR became a legal entity.
UNASUR was born as a project under Lula’s administration back in 2008 as an alternative regional institution to the Organisation of American States (OAS) - an institution dominated by the US. This also aligned with the objectives of the previous Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chávez. Furthermore, it was also an opportunity to remove Mexico from Brazil’s zone of influence for Brazil to strengthen itself as a regional power. The organisation was primarily constructed by left wing leaders from the pink tide - a period at the beginning of the 21st century where left-wing leaders came to power throughout the Americas. Key pink tide signatories included Michelle Bachelet (Chile), Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Brazil), Evo Morales (Bolivia), Cristina Kirchner (Argentina), and Rafael Correa (Ecuador).
Despite having the objective of being “a regional space integrated in the political, economic, social, cultural, environment, energy and infrastructure, to contribute to the strengthening of the Latin America and the Caribbean unit” as stated in the constitutive treaty, we may argue that such objective and responsibilities were too ambitious and broad - hence, many objectives were not fulfilled. Furthermore, many countries were unwilling to give up some of their national sovereignty to further efforts of regional integration - hence making it a purely symbolic organisation without much action.
One of the biggest challenges for UNASUR was a leadership crisis that enshewed in 2017 as member states were unable to reach a consensus when choosing a new Secretary General. For instance, Venezuela alongside Bolivia and Suriname blocked Argentina’s nomination, José Octavio Bordón. The organisation continues to be without a Secretary General.
Another challenge that UNASUR faced was the changing leaders in the region as the left-wing leaders of the pink tide were replaced by right-wing leaders. This change in leadership saw a move away from UNASUR and led to the establishment of PROSUR.
PROSUR: a right-wing equivalent to UNASUR?
PROSUR was born in Santiago de Chile on the 22nd March 2019 following the signing of the Declaration of Santiago for the renewal and strengthening of South America by Argentia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, and Peru. Some of the most notable right-wing leaders included Mauricio Macri (Argentina), Jair Bolsonaro (Brazil), Sebastián Piñera (Chile), and Iván Duque (Colombia). PROSUR is known as Piñera’s and Duque’s project that aimed to remove UNASUR.
Similarly to UNASUR, PROSUR, has great objectives to improve political, social, economic, and environmental integration throughout the region, however, we may argue that the organisation is very symbolic with little action having been made. Furthermore, Argentina did not send a delegation to the in-person summit held in Cartagene de Indias on the 22nd January 2022. Moreover, on the 3rd April 2022, Gabriel Boric announced Chile’s suspension from PROSUR.
What is the future for UNASUR and PROSUR?
On the 5th April 2023, Argentina’s Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Santiago Cafiero, tweeted a letter stating that Argentina intends to rejoin UNASUR. Furthermore, on the 6th of April 2023, Lula approved decree 11.475 stating that Brazil will return to being a member of UNAUR of the 6th May 2023 when the decree enters into vigour. No mention was given regarding Argentina and Brazil’s future relationship with PROSUR.
Thinking about the future of these two institutions and general integration measures in Latin America, it is evident that there are ideological differences that hamper cooperation and strong integration throughout the region. In addition to this, despite both institutions having ambitious objectives regarding integration, both of them have been very symbolic with a lack of measured success.
In the coming months, it will be interesting to follow Brazil and Argentina’s participation in UNASUR and analyse if they will bring positive change to the integration process. As things currently stand, it is likely that such moves will continue symbolic ideological differences in the region and that we are unlikely to see the strengthening of regional integration. For regional integration to work in Latin America, it is evident that ideological differences should be put to one side to build a common future.
*Photo taken from Merco Press.