The Relations between the European Union and Latin America

Résumé du document

Latin America is a huge geographical and cultural space that faces many serious difficulties in development because of high social inequalities, drug traffic and democracies that are often young and fragile. Because of these important issues, and as Latin America is a potentially important economic partner and is linked to the European culture, history and identity because of its colonial past -mainly under the Spanish and the Portuguese Empires-, one expects the European Union to play an important role of the there. However, since the independence of Latin America, the United States has considered Latin America to be under its "sphere of influence", part of its security policy and rejected any kind of European involvement there. This was proclaimed in the Monroe Doctrine in 1823. Even though the United States wants to remain the main foreign actor in Latin America, things have changed today, as European countries are not imperialists anymore and appear to be a support for stability and democracy.

Extraits

[...] To fight against Maoist and other far- left insurgents and guerrilla defending the rights of indigenes, the United States favoured military regimes in Latin America, applying Realpolitik and the policy of the Big Stick. As a consequence, most democracies are young and fragile there. This fragility is reinforced by drug traffics and social and economic inequalities that will be mentioned ex post. The map presented in Annexe 1 shows the high number of insurgent movements in the recent past or in the present of Latin America. [...]

[...] Bibliography http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/la/index.htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/mercosur/bacground_doc/fca96 .htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/la/rio/28_03_03.htm The EU and Latin America: the Other Transatlantic relationship, by Vanessa Matthews, European Policy Centre, April 2006 The Role of Networks in the EU's foreign policy toward Colombia, Roberto Dominguez-Rivera http://aei.pitt.edu/3305/02/EUSA_2005_Austin.doc Qu'est-ce qui fait obstacle au développement en Amérique Latine, Joan PRATS DIAL (Diffusion d'Information sur l'Amérique Latine), http://www.alterinfos.org/spip.php?article740 Latin American Economic crisis, Michael Mussa Peterson Institute, http://www.iie.com/publications/papers/paper.cfm?ResearchID=483 Microsoft Encarta http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/cartes/amerlatdrogue http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/cartes/amerlatguerilla Annexes: maps Annexe Guerrilla in Latin America Annexe Drug traffic and production in Latin America See Encarta, Simon Bolivar. See Qu'est-ce qui fait obstacle au développement en Amérique Latine, Joan PRATS DIAL (Diffusion d'Information sur l'Amérique Latine), http://www.alterinfos.org/spip.php?article740 The EU and Latin America: the Other Transatlantic relationship, by Vanessa MATTHEWS, European Policy Centre, April 2006. The EU and Latin America: the Other Transatlantic relationship, Ob. Cit. Latin American Economic crisis, Michael Mussa Peterson Institute, http://www.iie.com/publications/papers/paper.cfm?ResearchID=483 The EU and Latin America: the other transatlantic relationship, Ob. Cit. The EU and Latin America: the other transatlantic relationship, Ob. [...]

[...] However, the damageable effects of drug traffic on democratic values and law are daily in Latin America. As an example, the Mexican journalist Amado Ramirez was killed few days ago because of his investigations on drug cartels, and nine of his colleagues suffered from the same destiny last year. EU as an emerging actor in the fight against drug traffic and the matters linked with guerrillas; focus on Colombia The main global actor fighting against this drug traffic is of course the United States that directly intervene sending military forces, controlling frontiers, etc. [...]

[...] According to an economist speaking in 2002, “Latin America [recently experienced] its worst economic performance in nearly two decades”[5]. He added that “there is considerable concern that [the economy of all of Latin America] may not get much better anytime soon”. In 2005, they benefited from an improvement of their economic situation thanks to the better international conjuncture and the rising prices of primary goods –which Latin America exports massively. However, the economic situation of Latin America is far from inspiring much optimism. [...]

[...] Even though the United States wants to remain the main foreign actor in Latin America, things have changed today, as European countries are not imperialists anymore and appear to be a support for stability and democracy. The EU has now become one of Latin America's most important economic and political partners, through the elaboration of diverse co-operation agreements and the institutionalization of regular dialogues and meetings. Despite the colonial history of some European countries in the region, relations between both sides seem to be confident and positive. Plus, the present climate in Latin America is favourable to an increasing role of the EU, as US influence there is declining. [...]