bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

Pacific Alliance

The Pacific Alliance is a trade bloc that aims to become the largest in Latin America. It is composed of four countries: Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. The Alliance was formed following the Lima Declaration, which was signed on 28 April 2011, when Peru’s president at the time, Alan Garcia, took the initiative to invite his counterparts from Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Panama to "deepen the integration between these economies and define joint action for trade ties with Asia Pacific, on the basis of existing bilateral trade agreements between the parties."

The Alliance has held seven summits so far and has as observers Panama (expected to become member in 2013), Costa Rica (also in the process of becoming member) and others.

The Alliance is often criticised together with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which it complements, as an instrument of US interests in Latin America. The vision is that Washington is trying to create a wedge in South America by pushing the countries it already has FTAs with (Colomba, Chile, Peru) to form a bloc and then dragging that bloc into the TPP. Events of the past months show things moving in this direction, to the point that Bolivian President Evo Morales and former Brazilian President Lula da Silva have come out and criticised it.

According to Raul Zibechi: "The Pacific Alliance has three objectives. One: shackle the Pacific countries as exporters of natural goods, consolidate them as countries without industries but huge inequalities and, therefore, rising internal militarisation. Two: prevent the consolidation of regional integration and isolate Brazil as well as Argentina and Venezuela. Three, and its proponents never say this: form the American leg of the TPP which the US wants to convert into an economic arm of its military megaproject to contain China."

last update: September 2013
Photo: Goldstarsuper/Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 3.0


Peru becomes first Pacific Alliance member to ratify bloc’s trade deal with Singapore
Peru has become the first of the four Latin American nations in the Pacific Alliance bloc to ratify a free-trade deal with Singapore.
Ecuador awaits Mexico’s response to negotiate the FTA, says minister
Ecuador is waiting for a response from Mexico to return to the negotiating table for a free trade agreement between the two that opens the long-awaited path to the Pacific Alliance.
Republic of Korea asks to join Pacific Alliance trade bloc
Korea requested to join the Pacific Alliance trade bloc, which is also made up of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
Pacific Alliance, associate members enter fourth negotiating round, look to clinch deal by July
The four-country Pacific Alliance consists of Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. The coalition aims to achieve the goal, launched nearly a year ago, of conferring a new associate member status to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Pacific Alliance, associate members advance trade talks, eye new economic opportunities
The talks brought together officials from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Singapore with the Pacific Alliance coalition made up of four Latin American countries – Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru.
Pacific Alliance looks to Asia as NAFTA, TPP face uncertainty
Pacific Alliance countries are in talks to expand the trade bloc outside Latin America and into high-growth Asia as the future of established deals, such as NAFTA and the evolving Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), hang in the balance.
Bolivian president slams Pacific Alliance trade bloc
Evo Morales says the Pacific Alliance trade bloc is a neocolonial tool intended to cripple regional trade initiatives that exclude the US.
Argentina welcomed as Pacific Alliance observer
Argentina is now an official observer to the Pacific Alliance, the South American bloc that includes Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru as full members.
Colombian Senate endorses FTA with Costa Rica
The Colombian Senate has approved a free trade agreement (FTA) with Costa Rica, a prerequisite for the Central American state to become member of the Pacific Alliance
Mexico and Panama sign free trade agreement
The presidents of Mexico and Panama signed a free trade deal on Thursday, moving the smaller nation a step closer to joining the Pacific Alliance, a regional pact.

    Links


  • Alianza del Pacífico
    Una iniciativa de integración regional neoliberal conformada por Chile, Colombia, México y Perú