UNASUR’s potential

A major challenge to the rehabilitation of the United States’ standing abroad rests upon how it establishes its relations with South America.Formerly a region lacking in political clout and weakened by regional rivalry, the southern continent of the Western hemisphere has become a significant contender on the world stage. Brazil has become an economic juggernaut and has been eager to assume a role as the community’s regional leader; thus, its leaders would want to be treated as more of an equal power by their American counterparts. In addition, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela has steadily centralized his control over the machinations of his country’s government, while trying to maintain a staunchly critical stance against the United States, even as a worldwide decline in the price of oil compared to last year threatens to hinder his largest source of revenue. Perhaps the most underappreciated political development in the region has been the creation of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). While intergovernmental bodies have existed in South America for some time, this is easily the most ambitious-an institution designed after the European Union in hopes of consolidating South America’s political and economic resources for a common cause. While regional disagreements certainly will continue, it’s a major milestone for these countries to be able to come together in this fashion and attempt to multilaterally solve their disputes while functioning in a common political body.What is the United States’ best approach to these developments? First, a deep breath. A lot has happened in the past decade, but all things considered, the United States is still well-situated to have cordial relations with the region. Its healthy partnership with Brazil will go a long way in dissolving tension between our government and those of the South American states purely along ideological grounds.That said, if UNASUR develops into a cohesive bloc, these states may be able to make a formidable voting group not only in the Western Hemisphere’s Organization of American States (OAS) but also within the General Assembly of the United Nations. So, developing and maintaining strong relations across the continent is preferable to just working with the largest of the South American countries. By fostering an earnest, multilateral approach, the United States may be able to find common cause with UNASUR and forgo the possibility of being confronted in other intergovernmental organizations by a strong voting group, while also helping to marginalize anti-American sentiment within the region.Unilateralism has little practical use in a world where most countries are interconnected with each other and are all suffering economically. It’s in the best interest of every state undergoing hardship to attempt an earnest dialogue with other countries. If this Union grows and thrives, it can lend a strong sense of stability to a continent that has great potential, while also serving as a moderating force on more radical elements within South America’s political landscape. Though the United States must, ultimately, act in its own interest, putting a good-faith effort towards building strong ties to UNASUR could be worthwhile; a strong ally in times of uncertainty is always beneficial.