Quo vadis, Mercosur? The Politics of Regional Integration in the Southern Cone

This article assesses the development of Mercosur since it was launched via the Asuncion Treaty of 1991. It identifies the changes in the international system which originated it, the geopolitics and process of its establishment, the different phases through which it has gone and the obstacles it has faced in its development. The article concludes with some recommendations for the consolidation of Mercosur.