US trade policy for Latin America under the Bush administrations (2001 – 2009)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17721/2521-1706.2021.12.7

Anastasia Kosenko

Master’s Student

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine

ORCID logo https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1372-9496

Abstract. The author considers the trade policy of George Walker Bush – its basis and ways of implementation. That is why the article presents a brief digression in the 1990’s, as the origins of George W. Bush’s trade policy go back to those times. In particular, the project such as the «Enterprises for Americas», which provided for the creation of a free trade zone in the Western Hemisphere, which later became known as the FTAA. It is the FTAA that has received considerable attention in the article, as it was the basis of George W. Bush’s Latin American strategy, the reasons for the failure of which are also presented. The creation of the Central American Free Trade Area – CAFTA, to which the Republic of the Dominican Republic was added, is also being considered and its place in US trade policy. And the last component of the trade policy discussed in the article is the free trade agreements that have been concluded with countries such as Chile, Colombia, Peru and Panama. Particular attention is paid to the Chilean trade agreement, which has shown its effectiveness since its entry into force in 2004. The trade agreements in the article are also seen as levers of Washington’s influence in Latin America.

The aim of the article is to study of US trade policy to Latin America under the administrations of George W. Bush.

The research methodology involves the application of a critical approach in the study of US trade policy. The historical-genetic method is used to consider the trade strategy (its origins, transformations) for its most perfect reproduction. The comparative method is also used to compare the perception of Washington’s trade initiatives with Latin American countries.

The scientific novelty of the study is to consider of trade policy as the main area of cooperation between the United States and Latin America under the administration of George W. Bush, which helps to reveal unexplained aspects of this topic.

Conclusions US trade policy pursued the realization of not only trade and economic goals in the region, but also political. The origins of George W. Bush’s trading strategy date back to the late 1980’s and early 1990s. In order to facilitate the implementation of the FTAA, a project was launched – «CAFTA-DR», which was to be the first step in its implementation. Assessing George W. Bush’s trade policy, it should be noted that it was promising and well thought out, but its practical implementation was incomplete, as the FTAA project failed, but the policy of bilateral free trade agreements was more successful.

Key words: G.W. Bush, trade agreements, FTAA, CAFTA-DR, Latin America.

Submitted 25.06.2021

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References:

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