Political characteristics

The creation of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) has had an obvious economic repercussion: an increase in trade within the region, a higher level of intra-bloc competence, the use of scale economies, intra-regional cooperation concerning innovation projects, economic complementation and finally, the creation of an important synergy.

However, even though its emphasis is put on the economic aspects, the organization has also had a political, social and cultural relevance (for instance, it has already been mentioned above that the organization has some common challenges and goals regarding education).

The political aspects or characteristics about Mercosur are some shared elements between its members. For example, besides being geographically close, they share historical and cultural bonds as well as essential values such as the preservation of democracy as their political system (nowadays these countries are living their longest democratic experience), the socio-economic development of the region, industrialization or a redistributive economic growth.

The democratic value is the most important element their share in the present, fact which has led to a conflict with one of its former members: Venezuela. Nowadays, this country is suspended from its Mercosur’s membership (obtained in 2012), decision which was taken following the Ushuaia Protocol signed in 1998.

This protocol about democratic compromise in Mercosur establishes that having fully valid democratic institutions is an essential condition to be a part of the organization. It also mentions that any disruption of the democratic order in any of the member States, would lead to the application of measures such as a partial or total suspension of the right to participate in the organization’s organs (provided that there is a consensus between the other members).

In view of the agreements on the previous protocol, the four other members (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) concluded in a meeting in Sao Paulo (2017) that Venezuela had to be suspended indefinitely from its rights and obligations in the Mercosur. They argued that the country in question had interrupted its democratic order and had also reneged on human rights. Finally, they encouraged the current president, Nicolás Maduro (who, indeed, denied all the accusations made in that decision of suspension), to stop the repression against his opponents and re-establish the democratic order; however, they refused to impose economic sanctions of any kind in order not to inflict more damage on the population.