We're Late

SYNOPSIS

What is best for Latin America: a European Union-style Latin American union or a free trade agreement that creates a solid economic bloc?

"The Last Chance: Towards Real Integration in Latin America"

What if Latin America could cease to be a patchwork of frustrations and become a global power? What if the dream of regional integration weren't a utopia, but a pending roadmap?

This book is not an ideological pamphlet or a compendium of good wishes. It is a technical, political, and strategic project to transform the destiny of a region that, for centuries, has had everything it needed to take off... except a shared vision.

Through hard data, simulations, successful experiences, and historical warnings, "The Last Chance" dissects the errors that have doomed Latin American integration to failure: symbolic blocs, toothless treaties, short-term leadership, and alliances that have included authoritarian regimes that sabotage from within.

But it also offers a viable path forward: a model of progressive integration that starts with the possible-such as a robust free trade zone between trusted countries-and moves toward the ambitious: dignified regional mobility, a common digital currency, supranational governance, and a unified voice in global forums.

Possible scenarios if the proposed model is applied:

• Positive scenario (2045):

Latin America operates with a logistics network connected by efficient trains and ports, a regional work visa allows for controlled movement of talent, and SMEs export with common rules and fair financing. The bloc negotiates with China, the US, and the EU as a single player, while citizens enjoy borderless access to healthcare and education.

• Intermediate risk scenario (2035):

Integration advances only among democratic and trustworthy countries, while isolated dictatorships face sanctions and blockades. The benefits are concentrated in the "trustworthy perimeter," and social pressure forces institutional changes on those lagging behind.

• Failure scenario (2029)

A hasty attempt to integrate authoritarian regimes without filters collapses the bloc: courts become paralyzed, trade disputes arise without resolution, disorderly migration increases, and investor confidence fades. A new cycle of regional disillusionment sets in for decades.