ECLAC report outlines geopolitical strategies for Latin America

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has released a report titled ‘Rupturas y oportunidades: propuestas para que América Latina y el Caribe prospere en la nueva era geopolítica’. The report was produced by the Commission on Geopolitics, Globalization, and Development for Latin America and the Caribbean, co-chaired by former presidents Michelle Bachelet of Chile and Iván Duque of Colombia.

The document addresses the region's historical role as a passive actor in global geopolitics, often facing hegemonic pressure from the United States. It highlights how the reconfiguration of the international liberal order and the shift toward multipolar competition have hindered the region's ability to develop geopolitical influence. Key challenges identified include weak regional integration, increasing political and ideological polarization, and the decline of democracy.

To improve its global standing, the report suggests leveraging five categories of strategic assets: natural resources, productive, human, and financial capacities, political influence, and soft power. However, it warns that these assets will not automatically translate into international relevance without strengthening state capacity, restoring institutional trust, and achieving political consensus.