Latin America Economic Perspectives: Is there a Future for Financial and Commercial Integration in Latin America?

After successfully weathering the global financial crisis, Latin America and the Caribbean have shown remarkable economic resilience despite facing major challenges that could derail growth and development. The region is falling behind its peers in emerging Asian nations, particularly in commercial integration, at a time when regional markets would offer a welcome counterpoint to growing Chinese influence.

On April 20, the Latin America Initiative at Brookings hosted a discussion on its biannual Brookings Latin America Economic Perspectives report (BLEP). The report analyzes the possibility of stronger financial and commercial ties between Latin American countries in order to profit from the region’s positive growth prospects and to shield the region from external economic shocks. Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Eduardo Levy-Yeyati presented the report, followed by a panel discussion featuring Jose de Gregorio, distinguished professor from the University of Chile; Santiago Levy, vice president of Sectors and Knowledge at the Inter-American Development Bank; Moisés Naím, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; and Alejandro Werner, director of Global business at BBVA Bancomer. Brookings Senior Fellow Daniel Kaufmann provided introductory remarks.