Dr. Diego Acosta Arcarazo on 200 Years of Open Borders in South America
Dr Diego Acosta Arcarazo (U. Bristol)
Guest post by Renita Roberts, student, The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
Dr. Diego Acosta Arcarazo of the University of Bristol visited the University of California San Diego campus yesterday to discuss the dynamics of South America’s past and present migration statutes.
The continent of South America is unique, in that a majority of its countries are signatories to an array of agreements implemented to facilitate migration within the continent.
Perhaps, the the most innovative outcomes of South America’s “open borders” policy is the influence it has had on the various bilateral and multilateral agreements developed decades later among European countries, such as the formation of the United Kingdom and later, the European Union.
Unfortunately, present day diplomatic relations within South America reflect a gradual and visible breakdown of these earlier agreements. Abandoning its former pacts of solidarity, many countries later implemented restrictive migration policies and others failed to ratify treaties that would ensure uninhibited migration from one South American country to another.
Despite this collapse, its ramifications can still be felt worldwide. Although it is not nearly as extensive, the proliferation of the United States’ Visa Waiver program reflects a commitment to promote migration among countries that maintain friendly diplomatic relations.
An ideal development would be to implement agreements similar to those employed by South American countries between the United States and its allies. Further, promoting the concept of a regional citizen and a fundamental, human right to migrate would be blatant evidence that friendly relations are sustained among the United States and its allies.
Restrictive categories must persist in order to preserve national security purposes, but acknowledging the benefits of free migration are equally essential to the international morale.
-KitJ