After the disaster caused in the Latin American unity projects by what they called neoliberal restoration, the announcement that Argentina and Brazil return to Unasur (Union of South American Nations) invites us to think about the greening of the integrationist schemes in the region, damaged by ultranza for the right-wing governments that bet, in the last five years, to destroy them.
For this purpose, the departure, between 2018 and 2019, of seven of the South American countries that had previously joined this integrationist arch was verified, with which they wanted to destroy the efforts that previous governments had made in this regard.
Now, the return of the progressive executives elected by citizens before whom neoliberalism repeated its failure, has once again changed the inclination of the board.
The return to Unasur in Bolivia, with the MAS back in power and the departure of the coup executive of Jeanine Áñez, was a point in favor of the conglomerate that will be consolidated with the return of Buenos Aires and Brasilia, announced in recent days. This shows that there is already enough oxygen to revitalize Unasur, within which, after the resignations, Venezuela, Suriname and Guyana had remained, without the low membership causing, per se, the death of the conglomerate. So it is feasible, and not just necessary, to resuscitate him.
Although they still do not speak publicly and directly about it, it could be expected that countries like Chile and Colombia will also return.
As for Gabriel Boric, the Chilean president, the invitation that his Argentine counterpart, Alberto Fernández, made to him a few days ago, when visiting Santiago, the Argentine president announced the reincorporation of his country and invited his colleague to do it. Perhaps Boric would have flatly refused if he was not going to do it, which suggests that his re-entry into the country can be expected.
From Colombia there have been no concrete definitions, but on more than one occasion Gustavo Petro has referred to the need for integration and, countering the lying statements of those who demonize and manipulate, recently wrote on Twitter: “Unasur is not ‘Castrochavismo’ is the idea of an independent integration to the US, like the European Union».
Shortly after, during an interview given to the radio program La Pizarra in which he spoke of the need to put Latin American integration into practice, Petro was more specific in advocating achieving it through clean energy, which could materialize, he said, in scenarios such as those of Unasur or Celac (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States).
The same cannot be expected of Ecuador, whose government, led by Guillermo Lasso, is frankly aligned with the right-wing and neoliberal side, although it has been less “aggressive” with progressivism than its predecessor, the traitor to the Citizen Revolution, Lenín Moreno. Nor from Paraguay or Uruguay, which are also outside. But among the defenders of integration there is optimism.
The matter has come back to the fore after the announcements made by Argentina and Brazil, which are defining, even though they are, for now, the only ones with a date of reincorporation in May, and have sparked the enthusiasm of those who advocate regional unity.
One of the first to speak out was former Colombian President Ernesto Samper, who served as UNASUR’s general secretary, and has asserted from Twitter that “the announcements of the reincorporation of Argentina and Brazil to UNASUR (…) restore hope of returning to work together for common themes in the region such as the ecological transition, food sovereignty or artificial intelligence. Thank you Presidents Lula and Fernández».
The Puebla Group also reacted to the news with the assertion: “La Unasur is reborn.” The same statement was made by the former foreign minister of Ecuador, Guillaume Long.
An indication that the moment is propitious to resume work for unity has been the Summit against inflation and for food sovereignty that Mexico convened and was followed by ten other Latin American and Caribbean countries. The project is preparing to agree on the measures to sustain, between the countries involved, bilateral or regional commercial exchanges that, without damaging their previous commitments, allow them a fairer trade, especially in food matters, and improve the standard of living of their populations.
The situation is conducive to instilling new energy in Unasur and, therefore, in Latin American and Caribbean integration. It would be politically naive to miss the good time.
Cover image: File photo taken from Lula’s Twitter profile