Latin American Economic Area

Subject: The Latin American Economic Area of the Western Christian Civilization - America. Syllabus:

The subject: "The Latin American Economic Area of the Western Christian Civilization" is composed of four parts:

1. Introduction to the Latin American Economic Area of the Western Civilization
   1. Economic Profile of Latin American countries.
2. Processes of Latin American economic integration of the Western Civilization - American (Institutions, agreements). Interactions with other civilizations.
   1. Latin American Integration Association (ALADI)
   2. Integration in South America
   3. The case of Chile
   4. Andean countries
   5. The case of Mexico
   6. Integration in Central America
3. Other institutions and organizations related to the integration in Latin America
4. Relations between Latin America and Europe, Asia, the Arab Countries, and Africa

Objectives of the subject:

1. To define the characteristics of the Latin American economic area of the Western Christian Civilization
2. To analyze the influence of Christianity in the Latin American Economic Area
3. To know the economic profile of Latin American countries
4. To analyze the profile of businesspeople in the Latin American Economic Area
5. To understand the processes of economic integration in Latin America (Western Christian Civilization)
6. To know the economic relations with other civilizations (Sinic, Hindu, Islamic, African, and Buddhist) and with other areas of the Western Christian Civilization (Europe, the Caribbean, and the United States)
7. To analyze the main economic institutions related to the Latin American Economic Area

Subjects related to the "Latin American Economic Area."

1- Introduction to the Latin American Economic Area of the Western Christian Civilization (American)

1. South American sub-continent
2. Christianity in Latin America
3. Latin American countries
4. Economy of Latin America

2- Processes of Latin American economic integration of the Western Civilization - American (Institutions, agreements) and the interactions with other Civilizations.

2.1- Latin American Integration Association (ALADI)

2.2- Integration in South America.

1. Introduction to the MERCOSUR
2. Countries of the MERCOSUR: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
3. Incorporation of Bolivia (accession process) and Venezuela
4. Interactions of the MERCOSUR through Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with
   1. Christian Civilization
      1. European: the European Union (EU)
      2. Latin America: Chile, the Andean Community, Mexico, and Peru
   2. Hindu Civilization: India
   3. With the Islamic Civilization and/or African: Egypt
   4. With Israel
   5. Africa-BRICS (Brazil). Southern African Customs Union (Not in force).

2.3- The case of Chile (40% of its foreign trade is with Asia).

1. Chile's integration and FTAs with the Christian Civilization
   1. Latin America: the ALADI, the MERCOSUR (associated), the Andean Community (associated), Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Central America, and Panama. The Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru)
   2. North America: the United States and Canada
   3. Europe: the European Union (EU), the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
   4. FTA with Australia
2. Agreement with the Islamic Civilization: FTA with Turkey
3. Agreements with the Sinic Civilization - Buddhist: China, Japan, and South Korea
4. Agreements with the Hindu Civilization: India
5. Inter-civilizational Agreements:
   1. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
   2. Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP)

2.4- Andean countries.

1. Andean Community
2. Andean countries: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru
3. Integration and Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with
   1. Christian Civilization - Latin America:
      1. The Andean Community Agreements with the MERCOSUR, Chile, Mexico, and Panama
      2. The ALADI (all Andean Community countries), Chile-Ecuador
      3. Colombia's FTA: Mexico, Chile, CARICOM, and Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras)
      4. Peru's FTA: MERCOSUR, Chile
   2. Christian Civilization - North American:
      1. The United States: FTA United States-Colombia, United States-Peru
      2. Canada: FTA Colombia-Canada,  Peru-Canada
   3. Christian Civilization - European: Association Agreement with the European Union (FTA EU-Colombia, Peru), FTA Colombia-European Free Trade Association
   4. Hindu Civilization: India
   5. Orthodox Civilization: Russia
   6. Sinic Civilization - Buddhist: the Andean Community-China. Peru's agreements with China, Singapore, and South Korea
   7. Peru's Inter-civilizational Agreements: the APEC and TPP.

2.5- The case of Mexico: a Latin American country with most FTA and a member of the NAFTA.

1. Mexican Market
2. Mexico's Free Trade Agreements (FTA)
3. Mexico's integration and trade agreements with the Christian Civilization:
   1. Latin America: the ALADI, the Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras), Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Chile, the MERCOSUR, the  Andean Community, Peru, and Ecuador
   2. North America: the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
   3. Europe: the European Union (EU), the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
4. Mexico's Agreements with the Sinic Civilization - Buddhist: Japan
5. Agreement with Israel
6. Inter-civilizational Agreements:
   1. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
   2. Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP)

2.6- Central America

1. The Economy of Central America
2. Central American Common Market - Integrated with SICA -
3. Central American Integration System (SICA)
4. Central American countries: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama. The Dominican Republic.
5. The case of Guyana and Suriname
6. Central America's Free Trade Agreements (FTA)
   1. Agreements with the Christian Civilization
      1. Latin America: FTA agreements with Panama, Chile, and the Dominican Republic. Nicaragua and Costa Rica have an FTA with Mexico. Panama has an FTA with Chile. The Andean Community-Panama
         Northern Triangle countries Agreements (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) with Mexico and Colombia
      2. North American: CAFTA-DR agreement (United States-Central America-Dominican Republic), Honduras-Canada, Canada-Costa Rica, Panama-Canada, United States-Panama
      3. The Caribbean: Caribbean Community-Costa Rica
      4. European: Association Agreement with the European Union
   2. Agreements with the Sinic Civilization.
      1. Taiwan has agreements with Honduras and El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama.
      2. China-Costa Rica FTA
      3. Singapore-Panama FTA

Other Institutions and Organizations related to the integration in Latin America.

1. Organization of American States (OAS)
2. Inter-American Development Bank (BID)
3. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
4. Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA)
5. Union of South American Nations (UNASUR)
6. Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA)
7. Mesoamerica Project
8. Association of Caribbean States (ACS)
9. CARICOM

Relationships of Latin America with Asia, the Muslim countries, and Africa.

1. Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC)
2. Summit of South American-Arab Countries (ASPA)
3. Africa-South America Summit (ASA)

Map of the economic integration in Latin America (Western Christian Civilization).

Subject Description - Latin American Economic Area of the Western Christian Civilization.

Latin American countries seek to integrate their economies. Several integration projects are underway: UNASUR, ALADI, ALBA, the MERCOSUR, and the Andean Community. Latin America seeks its identity based on common history (former colonies), language (Spanish and Portuguese), religious (Christianity), ethnic (although we should consider the existence of different ethnic groups).

Latin America differs from other areas of the Christian Civilization in several aspects: influence of Amerindian religions, no influence of the Protestant Reformation, Latin American countries were colonies rather than colonizers.

Christianity is the principal religion of the Latin America. Latin America has been eminently Catholic, but Protestantism is becoming increasingly important.

Latin American countries of the Pacific are increasingly turning to the Asia-Pacific region (Chile, Peru, and Mexico belongs to the APEC). Perhaps Mexico is an exception (member of the NAFTA). Surely, Brazil is becoming the Central State.

Several Latin American civilizations had arisen in pre-Columbian times. Arnold Toynbee identified four pre-Columbian civilizations: the Andean civilization (the Universal State was the Inca Empire, and the Inca religion -Viracocha-), the Maya (Mayan religions, polytheistic), the Mexican and the Yucatan (absorbed by the Mexican), none has survived. Although it should also be considered the Olmec civilization (Mexico).