VIPCO
Virtual Map of Interparliamentary Cooperation part of PACO
Jean Monnet Network PACO - Interparliamentary Cooperation in the EU’s External Action -
Parliamentary Scrutiny and Diplomacy in the EU and Beyond
Year of Creation:
Head Quarter/Location:
Periodicity:
Members:
Working Language:
Official Site URL:
1964
Sao Paolo/ Panama City
Annual
Argentina, Aruba, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba,
Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Sint Maarten, Suriname, Uruguay,Venezuela
Spanish, Portuguese www.parlatino.org
AMERICA SOUTH
The Latin American Parliament (Parlatino) is a regional, permanent and single chamber body which Member States’ represent the South American and the Caribbean regions. It was founded on 10 December 1964 in Lima and further institutionalized in 1987. From this date onwards it established itself as an independent organisation without being attached to a regional organisation or institution. The roots of the Latin American Parliament go back to the 1960’s and the associated new conceptualization of the future of Latin America. As a result of earlier colonial experiences, Latin American thinkers searched for a regional role in the world beyond American dominance and the regional basis was emphasized as one essential element to achieve this goal.
Moreover, the emergence of increased intra-regional trade and the perception that Latin America had to establish itself as a counterpart to worldwide trading blocs gave rise to the idea of a regional political body. The Latin American Parliament, against this backdrop, was perceived as a tool to maintain and enhance further economic cooperation. In its foundation treaty, it is stated that Parlatino should provide a forum of Latin American unity and integration, it should defend democracy and promote regional integration and the strengthening of cooperation among parliamentarians across Latin America. It meets once a year but has no decision making powers which limit its actions to agreements, recommendations and resolutions which are non-binding.
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VIPCO
Virtual Map of Interparliamentary Cooperation part of PACO
Jean Monnet Network PACO - Interparliamentary Cooperation in the EU’s External Action -
Parliamentary Scrutiny and Diplomacy in the EU and Beyond
AMERICA SOUTH
The Latin American Parliament, is comprised of 23 Member States from South America and the
Caribbean. As the institutionalization treaty was signed, only 18 Member States were signatories but throughout the years, membership expanded with Sint Maarten being the newest member since 2010. Each country sends a delegation of twelve members to the Parliament which reflects the proportionality in the country’s respective political landscape. The members of each delegation are either elected by the people of their country or by their respective Parliament. The Latin
Parliament itself comprises of four bodies: The Assembly which is the highest authority, a Board of Directors, Permanent Commissions and a Secretariat General. Each of them has specific tasks which are set out in the Parliamentary Statutes.
The Assembly is comprised of the delegations of each Member State and it sets forth the general and major guidelines of the Latin American Parliament. It adopts new statutes and is responsible for admissions of new Member States. In the same vein, it can also suspend members of the
Parliament and it elects the highest officials for the Board of Directors, the Permanent Commis sions, and the Secretariat General. In addition, it elects a President, a deputy President, a Secretary General, a Deputy Secretary General, a Secretary of Commission, a Secretary of Inter-parliamentary Relations and a Secretary of Inter-institutional Relations.
The Board of Directors is comprised of a Chairperson, a deputy Chairperson, a Secretary General, a deputy Secretary General, a Secretary of Commissions, a Secretary of Inter-parliamentary Relations, and a Secretary of Inter-institutional Relations which are elected by the Assembly as well as the delegate’s President and as many Vice Chairpersons as the members congresses. These persons also form the Presiding board which decide, program, direct, coordinate and evaluate the work of the Latin American Parliament. The Board of Directors should, inter alia, promote the approximation and incorporation of new national parliaments, inviting observers to the Parliament as well as preparing documents and works concerning the agenda.
The Permanent Commissions are specialised bodies with the duty to analyze and to study, inter alia, political, social, economical subjects related to Latin America. Thereby, each Commission will be comprised of a Chairperson and two Chairpersons appointed by the Board of Directors as well as by a Commission Secretary and at least one third of the Member States with at least two representatives have to take part in each Commission. Their task is to make recommendations to the Board of Directors and the General Assembly.
The Secretariat General is comprised of a Secretary General, a deputy Secretary General and a executive Secretary. The Secretariat is responsible, inter alia, for coordination and supervision of the Latin American Parliament as well as for drafting minutes.
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VIPCO
Virtual Map of Interparliamentary Cooperation part of PACO
Jean Monnet Network PACO - Interparliamentary Cooperation in the EU’s External Action -
Parliamentary Scrutiny and Diplomacy in the EU and Beyond
AMERICA SOUTH
The Latin American Parliament has implemented a comprehensive body of statutes and regulations which govern the day-to-day politics of all four main bodies. The Assembly meets once a year but it can convene a special meeting if the regular meeting cannot take place. For this purpose, at least half of the members of the Board of Directors plus one have to agree on that. Furthermore, to have the capacity to decide on matters of the agenda, at least half of the members whose delegates represent at least on third of the total votes of the Assembly have to be present. Here it is important to note that every member has one voting right. If a delegation does not comprise of twelve Members at an Assembly’s meeting, it is possible to cast up to four votes but the total number of votes per delegation is not allowed to exceed twelve votes. Most of the votes are held public, delegation by delegation. However, it is possible to hold a secret vote if it is requested by the members. To adopt resolutions, half of the members plus one need to agree. Hereby, raising hands serves as the voting procedure. A participating national parliament can also be suspended, by its own request if it loses the conditions set forth in the treaties or it acts against the purposes and procedures of the Latin American Parliament.
The Board of Directors is, according to the statues, the highest authority between the meetings of the Assembly. It meets at least twice a year by initiative of the Chairperson or on a special basis by request of at least one third of its members. To be able to decide on matters, half plus one of its members must be present. A simple majority vote is needed to pass agreements, resolutions or recommendations.
The Commissions meet at fixed dates and reports are normally adopted by consensus.
The Parliament adopts an own budget with each Member State agreeing upon its own financial liabilities. The budget is drawn up by the Board of Directors and approved by the Assembly on an annual basis. Thereby, an own audit at the Head Office will be charged to control the budget administration.
Since the Latin American Parliament is not a formal decision making body and passed acts are not binding the effect of the organisation is, in fact, limited. However, the Latin American
Parliament has been successful in encouraging contacts with other parliaments. Furthermore, it is successful in enhancing cooperation between Member States by providing a forum in trustbuilding, diplomacy and confidence building. As the Parliament has a legal status, it also forms contracts and cooperations with other international institutions such as UNESCO. Moreover, the
Latin American Parliament has been active on the regional level by providing support for the preparation of the “Framework Law on Right to Food, Food Security, and Sovereignty”.
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VIPCO
Virtual Map of Interparliamentary Cooperation part of PACO
Jean Monnet Network PACO - Interparliamentary Cooperation in the EU’s External Action -
Parliamentary Scrutiny and Diplomacy in the EU and Beyond
AMERICA SOUTH
Institutionalization Treaty of the Latin American Parliament. Retrieved, 29.02.2016 from http://www.
parlatino.org/histo/conteudo.php?id=34&lg=en
Latin American Parliament Statute. Retrieved, 29.02.2016 from http://www.parlatino.org/histo/conteudo.
php?id=111&lg=en
“Latin American Parliament Regulations”. Retrieved, 29.02.2016 from http://www.parlatino.org/histo/ conteudo.php?id=112&lg=en
Kangalee, Quinelle-Marie (2011). The ACCP and Latin American Regional Parliaments: Information Note.
QMK
Malamud, Andres, de Sousa, Luis (2007). Regional Parliaments in Europe and Latin America: Between
Empowerment and Irrelevance. Published in Andrea Ribeiro Hoffmann and Anna van der Vleuten (eds.),
Closing or Widening the Gap? Legitimacy and Democracy in Regional International Organizations. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2007.
Seatzu, Francesco (2014).When good intentions do not go too well: assessing the role of the Latin American Parliament in the achievement of socioeconomic development in Latin America. ANUARIO
ESPAÑOL DE DERECHO INTERNACIONAL / VOL. 30 / 2014, pp.457-478
Unesco (1994). RELATIONS WITH THE LATIN AMERICAN PARLIAMENT, AND DRAFT AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THAT BODY AND UNESCO, 144 EX/33
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