Partner for Organizing the World

Repudiation of the Monroe Doctrine

The founding of the "Community of Latin American and Caribbean States" (CELAC), as a commonwealth of all countries of the American continents, with the exception of Canada and the United States, was agreed upon February 23, 2010 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and consummated in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, December 2, - 3, 2011. All sovereign Latin American countries are members. CELAC was founded with the intention of shaking off the predominating influence of the USA, thereby creating an alternative to the Organization of American States (OAS), where US membership provides Washington with the opportunity of directly interfering in the domestic affairs of Latin American countries. When in 2009, a putsch, supported by US American - as well as German institutions,[1] overthrew the government of Honduras, the dissatisfaction that grew in numerous countries of the subcontinent led to the decision to establish a continental organization excluding the USA. "CELAC's founding can be seen as the clearest repudiation in Latin America's history of the 1823 US American Monroe Doctrine, declaring Latin America to be the sphere of interests and influence of the United States," explains the new study published by the CDU-affiliated Konrad Adenauer Foundation.[2]

New Constellation

The first EU-CELAC summit, to take place this weekend in the Chilean capital, Santiago, will be a mixture of the familiar and a new constellation. The coming together of EU and Latin American countries is familiar. Summit meetings of the countries of the two continents have taken placed six times since 1999. One now speaks of "privileged relationships." Berlin seeks both to reinforce its sphere of influence in the "backyard" of its US rival and to shore up the position of the West, in general, in competition with the growing influence of the People's Republic of China.[3] The EU is still, for the time being, the largest investor in Latin America, the second largest trading partner and has a distinct diplomatic presence, particularly through its larger member countries. Some of the discussions on the weekend are awaited with great expectations. The influential EU will sit down, for the first time, with the representative of the common interests of all of Latin America. Chile's foreign ministry has confirmed that among those awaited are Chancellor Merkel, the Prime Minister of Spain, and the President of France - if the war in Mali allows.

Global Market Integration

As noted by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in its current CELAC study, for Berlin, new opportunities will open up with this new constellation, because of internal fractioning on the Latin American continent, perceived in Europe, at best, schematically. In CELAC, the ALBA countries, opposed to EU and US interference, (german-foreign-policy.com reported.[4]) are pitted against countries that, according to the Adenauer Foundation, have a "good relationship with the USA and Europe." This group includes mainly Mexico, Chile, Columbia and Peru, which have joined together to form an economic alliance (the "Pacific Alliance"). This alliance, founded on June 6, 2012, is conceived as an influential "counterweight" to ALBA.[5] If CELAC's pro-western countries - those willing to cooperate with the EU and the USA - can be strengthened, additional pressure can be exerted on the ALBA members, to encourage their submission to a western agenda, according to Berlin. Therefore, the Adenauer Foundation proposes that efforts be made to "reverse the tendency of political estrangement among Latin American countries" that "has been taking place over the past few years." "Those countries integrated in the global market" could even "positively radiate to the region, as a whole."

For Germany and Europe

The Adenauer Foundation is particularly interested because of the growing influence some Latin American countries are exerting in international affairs. Although not yet G8 members, the subcontinent is represented by three countries at G20 meetings, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina - by nearly as many countries as are representing the EU. "The reform of the global financial system and the completion to the Doha Round" can no longer ignore Latin America. This shows the "growing importance" of the subcontinent "in shaping the global order."[6] CELAC, which at least partially, disassociates itself distinctly from the USA, could therefore be a "partner (...) to Germany and the EU." The "time has come," writes the author of the analysis, in which Europe - in its "global pursuit of European positions" - can "benefit" from Latin American support. At the upcoming summit this weekend, efforts will be not only concentrated on strengthening pro-western countries and the weakening of ALBA member countries, but also on enhancing the cooperation between Europe and Latin America.

Global Competition

These efforts take also into account the fact that from the Latin American point of view, Europe has ceased to be only alternative to the United States. The foreign ministers of India and CELAC met already in August 2012. Cooperation with Russia, some of the Arab countries and Iran is also intensifying. CELAC is cooperating particularly with China. On August 9, 2012, CELAC and Beijing agreed on the establishment of the "China-CELAC Cooperation Forum" and initiated other forms of common activities. Intensification of cooperation with the People's Republic of China could strengthen precisely those CELAC countries, which "are already politically more closely affiliated with China than with Europe or the USA," according to the Adenauer Foundation.[7] This is referring to ALBA countries, in other words, to those countries, Berlin and the West seek to weaken. China's rapidly growing influence sets the stage for raising pressure on the EU and the USA to quickly show success in Latin America.

Junior Partner Brazil

The author of the Adenauer Foundation's study, who is a member of this CDU-affiliated foundation's Young Foreign Policymakers Working Group, contends that Brazil could play a key role. Brazil, which for years has remained Germany's sole official "strategic partner" in Latin America, has been receiving special attention from Berlin. (german-foreign-policy.com reported.[8]) This attention is due to the extraordinary prominence of the strongest economy in Latin America, whose aspirations to become the leader of the subcontinent is being used by the Federal Republic of Germany to enhance its own position, with Brazil serving as junior partner in this cooperation. According to the Adenauer Foundation study, "Germany and the EU, above all, should seek to bind Brazil more closely to Europe" and "remind it of the responsibility" it has "for the further development of CELAC, as a global partner" for Berlin and Brussels.[9] It is not by accident that the German cultural policy has already taken initiatives to strengthen contacts to Brasilia at all levels. In May, a "Germany Year" will be initiated in Brasilia, which, for one year, will make public relations for Germany. Reciprocally, Brazil will be the host country this fall at the Frankfurt Book Fair, one of the most prominent German cultural events of the year.

[1] see also The Naumann Caucus, Ein Amtsenthebungsverfahren and For the Freedom of the Oligarchy
[2] Maik Zarandi: CELAC - Chance zur Neugestaltung der Beziehungen Deutschlands und der EU zu Lateinamerika? Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: Analysen und Argumente Ausgabe 115, Dezember 2012
[3] see also Die neue Lateinamerika-Offensive, Teil der Lieferkette and Drehscheibe für Lateinamerika
[4] see also Hoping for a Historical Turning Point
[5], [6], [7] Maik Zarandi: CELAC - Chance zur Neugestaltung der Beziehungen Deutschlands und der EU zu Lateinamerika? Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: Analysen und Argumente Ausgabe 115, Dezember 2012
[8] see also Herausforderer der USA and Partners in Leadership
[9] Maik Zarandi: CELAC - Chance zur Neugestaltung der Beziehungen Deutschlands und der EU zu Lateinamerika? Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: Analysen und Argumente Ausgabe 115, Dezember 2012