ECLAC

ECLAC’s headquarters are located in Santiago, Chile, with two additional sub-regional offices in Mexico and the Caribbean. ECLAC maintains country offices in Bogotá, Brasilia, Buenos Aires and Montevideo, and a liaison office in Washington, D.C.

The theory of structural economic dependency gained increasing favor as the basis for Latin American economic policies. Economic exploitation and political manipulation by rich countries presented a good explanation for the underdeveloped condition of many Latin American countries. The assumption was that Latin America was not responsible for its underdevelopment since industrialized nations controlled world trade relations.

Although Latin America had the support of the U.S. under the Alliance for Progress, economic and political integration never occurred. Economic integration obtained great regional support, however, many important political, economic and special interests groups disagreed over most of the integration policies. No agreements were reached over trade barriers and many feared that integrated markets would be particularly vulnerable to U.S. economic penetration. The main obstacles to integration were, and continue to be, the increasing disparities between and within the different countries in ECLAC. The level of development, size and rate of growth varies greatly among Latin American countries. The U.S., furthermore, waned its support and financial commitment to Latin American integration during the Vietnam War and the general endogenous problems reduced the effectiveness and expansion of the integration movement. By the 1980s, however, the adoption of economic neoliberalism accompanied by political democratization stimulated the advance of new integration models.

ECLAC has been a key player in many international organizations, conferences, summits and committees on Latin American developmental issues. It has worked closely with the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter -American Development Bank on issues such as the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA); transportation; small enterprises; education; and women’s issues. In these areas, ECLAC provides analytical support, technical assistance and statistical studies. ECLAC has been an active coordinator of regional and sub-regional views for larger international meetings. In 2001, it coordinated regional input to follow-ups to major UN global conferences and special sessions on social issues, women, housing and human settlements, HIV/AIDS, children, development financing, and the environment.

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