INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR: "NEW GEOPOLITICAL SCENARIOS IN LATIN AMERICA AND EUROPE"
18/4/2016
European democracies have long been viewed from Latin America as benchmarks of stability and governance as well as integration. The current situation of the European Union, both contemplating the crisis of representation and the latent possibility of Britain's exit from the bloc, poses new scenarios with the Latin American region. This meeting proposes to discuss about the political changes in Latin America and in Europe that configure a new and particular way of conceiving geopolitics, placing special emphasis on the challenges and possibilities for democracy in the 21st century.
Democracies in Latin America and Europe are undergoing rapid transformation. It could be said that, in the past, Latin American democracies have looked at themselves in the mirror of European democracies. A mirror that now projects a distorted image, full of questions, tensions and even setbacks, which are a source of concern on the continent.
This is true not only from the point of view of democratic stability, but also from the point of view of integration. In effect, the European integration model has been long observed from Latin America, with more or less intention of achieving the same in the region. And also, from this point of view, we are facing a complex scenario in which future is still uncertain.
It is in this context that 25 years have passed since the signing of the Treaty of Asunción, which led to the creation of MERCOSUR; an agreement that has gone through various stages and that today is facing the possibility of regaining some strength through the various political changes that are taking place in the region and in the world.
On the other hand, Latin America –particularly the countries of the Southern Cone- face the challenge of finding common spaces and potential agreements that allow efforts to be made in the area of regional integration not only between neighboring countries, but also as a regional block towards the world. Therefore, it is of particular interest that agreements such as the Pacific Alliance and MERCOSUR can coexist, overcoming an intra-regional division.
The current situation of the European Union, both contemplating the crisis of representation and the latent possibility of leaving Britain, poses new scenarios in the relationship with the region. This meeting proposes to discuss about the political changes in Latin America and in Europe that configure a new and particular way of conceiving geopolitics, placing special emphasis on the challenges and possibilities for democracy in the 21st century.
