Recent COHA Media Appearances: Radio Adelaide and Voice of America
Voice of America: El Mundo Al Dia TV Interview, on The Latino Vote , October 29, 2008; COHA Research Fellow
Read MoreVoice of America: El Mundo Al Dia TV Interview, on The Latino Vote , October 29, 2008; COHA Research Fellow
Read MoreFinance and property markets in Latin America face difficult challenges as the global credit crisis spreads, a new report is
Read MoreIn 2000, Peruvian leader Alberto Fujimori sought exile in Japan following the exposure of corruption within his administration and the
Read More• The U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement has provided President Alan García with an excuse to dismantle the nation’s environmental and
Read MoreOn July 29, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry officially notified the U.S. Embassy that Washington’s ten-year lease on the Ecuadorian military
Read MoreSince 1993, representatives from the member countries of the Andean Community of Nations (ACN) and the European Union (EU) have met periodically to strengthen their commercial and political ties. From the European side, the eventual goal of these meetings was to allow for the Andean countries to find an alternative development model to the one proposed by Washington. This would allow for the EU to assist in creating development programs and offer the Andean nations opportunities for economic integration with the European body. As part of this assistance, the ACN and the EU would negotiate a treaty to enhance their political dialogue and cooperation. Though negotiations have been stalled for quite some time, the potential Association Agreement resulting from the meetings would include pursuing common political and economic goals, such as a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two blocs and for further support for development within the Andean region.
Analyzing the Association Agreement
European politicians would like their Latin American counterparts to believe that the above are the goals of the Agreement. In reality, the actions of EU leaders do not begin to address the complex political-economic situation found within the Andean region. Furthermore, it would be naïve to underestimate the possibility of special interests pressuring Andean politicians to sign an FTA and equally as far-fetched to assume that Europe intends to help the ACN out of pure altruism. The proposed FTA is based on previous agreements negotiated by Peru and Colombia (the latter ones, yet to be ratified) with the U.S. and must be closely scrutinized in order to ensure that it is both efficient and rejection proof.
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This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associate Guillermo Cornejo
A Fact of Life: Strategic Alliance for Venezuela and Russia
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez met yesterday in Moscow with his Russian counterparts Russian President Dimitri Medvédev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. They seemed to enjoy every moment of the occasion, even though it was rather short when it came to hard developments. The encounter was arranged to formalize a military and defense alliance between the two countries, dubbed the “Alianza Estratégica.” The three leaders placed great stress on the importance of the meeting in which trade deals, arms sales, coordinated energy policies and the expansion of trade and joint financial services were achieved between the two nations.
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This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associate Raylsiyaly Rivero