The United States and South America - Where Do We Go From Here

Abstract

Abstract : In Latin America, authoritarian regimes of the right and the left have yielded to open, market economies What was somewhat defensive nationalism being overcome by new kind of nationalism which stresses possibility over dependency, one that welcomes relations with the United States. This passage, written by Vice President Al Gore, is consistent with the philosophy that there is a new moment in the Americas. The question which seems to follow almost Immediately, is, do we go from here? The focus of United States' foreign policy has hardly been centered on Latin America What are our national interests in the region? Where are our neighbors to the south headed? Is it our policy to help them chart their course? Do we have the means to do it? All of these questions deserve serious consideration, and this paper is devoted to them. The United States has clearly stated its interests in the region to be the continued economic growth of our trading partners, the further development and stabilization of democratic governments, the peaceful resolution of inter-state conflicts, and the cooperative confrontation of growing transnational threats (ie drug trafficking, terrorism, arms control, the environment, etc).