Unasur is in crisis: why are their projects stagnating?
The Union of South American Nations has come close to what many consider an imminent end, their investments remain in doubt
The Union of South American Nations was consolidated with political, social and economic projects that would strengthen the union of Latin American countries. However, due to the differences between the governments of the member countries, the activity of the organization has not been constant and has been increasingly abandoned. Now, the victory of Bolsonaro in Brazil supposes another siege for the permanence of the institution, that without Brazil, it will lose all capacity to make the difference in terms of economic integration.
Leer en español: La Unasur está en crisis: ¿Por qué se estancan sus proyectos?
Unasur in the economic sphere had created strategies such as the South American Council of Economy and Finance that would be responsible for "The construction of an economic system with equity, social justice, and harmony in nature for sustainable development." And "Financial integration through the adoption of mechanisms compatible with the economic and fiscal policies of the Member States." It was intended to have an economy that did not depend on the great world powers, that supported itself and that generated benefits and stability in all parts. "If this had been achieved, they would probably be shielded from outside powers. But, if the region continues to be fragmented and does not act politically in a coordinated manner, it will continue to be dominated for many more years,"says Adam Isacson of the US think tank Wola.
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Why the organization is in crisis and the projects were not carried out?
According to Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue and professor of Latin American Studies at Georgetown University, not only political problems or ideological differences caused the fall of Unasur, but also the strong economic crises that happened or are happening countries like Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, and Colombia, since the priority of these countries is to solve their internal affairs and therefore their governments and the budget they have do not allow them to be active in organizations like this. "At this moment there is no longer any interest either to repair what happens inside the organization or to launch another initiative to replace it. And, above all, there are no conditions," he says.
Shifter and other experts say that the extinction of the organization has few consequences in Latin America and that in order to achieve regional integration and a more stable economy, it is necessary to evaluate the specific problems faced and propose more realistic strategies. "The integration has costs, winners, and losers and that makes it very difficult. Many of the projects pose overly ambitious objectives that do not have the necessary support and it would be best to start defining concrete, reduced and realistic goals and move forward slowly."
For now the cabinets remain empty, and despite the recent inauguration in Cochabamba of the imposing seat of the Parliament of Unasur that cost the Bolivarians more than 60 million dollars, factors such as the worrying crisis that Venezuela is going through, the withdrawal of Colombia and the decision of five countries to suspend their participation in the bloc does not paint a promising future for the organization.
LatinAmerican Post | María Fernanda Barinas Ortiz
Translated from "La Unasur está en crisis: ¿Por qué se estancan sus proyectos?"
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