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A South American NATO? Brazil and the chances for a South American Defence Council
10/04/2008 By Susanne Gratius
Sixty years after the creation of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR), in 1948 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil has proposed the establishment of a South American Defence Council. President Lula launched his proposal at an appropiate moment: on 4 March 2008, during the diplomatic crisis between Colombia and Ecuador.
The principal obstacles facing the future South American Defence Council are its instrumentalisation by Brazil for national purposes and the different security perceptions of Brazil and Venezuela. The coming months will prove if it is possible to reconcile both positions.
A South American Defence Council could be a first step towards consolidating the region as a peace zone and increasing its international weight. Its creation would also reinforce the incipient South American system while weakening the Interamerican system.
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Keywords
Brazil Conflict Conflict prevention Conflict resolution Latin America & Caribbean Peace Regional powers Security VenezuelaRelated publications
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Bio author: Susanne Gratius
Susanne Gratius is a senior researcher at FRIDE.Her research focuses on EU-Latin American relations, Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, and emerging powers.
