France and Latin America

France in Latin America: modest sway or real influence?
France is paying close attention to the threats with which Latin American is confronted.
Conclusion

Sharing historically similar philosophical, political and cultural references, France and Latin America maintain a special, long-standing relationship based on a strong sense of complicity. They share values and the same view of a multipolar world.

France has considerable interests in Latin America in the areas of politics, culture and economics, but they are confronted with the region’s threats and challenges.

The degree of France’s influence in Latin America is a direct function of its political, cultural and economic presence.

  France’s political presence in Latin America: a reflection of a shared worldview

General de Gaulle’s visit in 1964 continues to mark people . In Latin America, the General seemed like a Statesman who was able to balance the political and linguistic influence of the United States. He called for “ties between Latin America and France to be strengthened to help the world establish itself in progress, balance and peace”.

Since then, France and Latin America have constantly worked to maintain special political relations : presidential and ministerial visits to Latin America illustrate France’s commitment to further strengthen its relations with its partners in the region. The most recent visit made by the French President to South America dates back to March 1997, when Jacques Chirac went to Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. The latest bilateral visit to Mexico was in 1998, with a stopover in Guatemala. Many ministerial visits have also taken place.

Political dialogue is a key mainstay of our partnership with the various Latin American countries, but it would not have the same impact if our cultural influence were not as strong there. With regard to subjects such as disarmament and non-proliferation, sustainable development, handling debt, human rights and cultural diversity, Latin America adopts positions that often resemble ours very closely, strengthening our affinities and the cooperation ties that bind us. Citizens of France and Latin America have a plural worldview and are deeply attached to multilateralism.

  A cultural influence: product of History

Traditionally, Latin America has been one of the regions in the world where the French culture has the strongest presence : it has marked its history through the influence of the French intellectuals of the “Age of Enlightenment” on the processes of independence, its legal system, which was inspired by the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Code and its local elite, for whom our country’s cultural and scientific references have long been key.

The French Community in Latin America represents a population of approximately 111,000 people, 77,756 of whom are recorded in France’s registers abroad, i.e. 6.2% of France’s expatriate community worldwide. Brazil (16,300), Argentina (13,850) and Mexico (13,680) are among the countries of the region with the most French citizens. Elsewhere, the French communities are smaller (7,331 French citizens recorded in the French Consulate’s register in Chile, 5,440 in Venezuela, 3,306 in Colombia, 2,825 in Peru, 1,402 in Haiti, 814 inBolivia, 557 in Panama and 342 in Honduras). The French communities in Latin America are relatively small [1]], but the traditions of Francophonie and Francophilia are strong within the countries of the region, among the elite in particular. Francophonie is on the decline - English now holds a preferred position - but French remains the second-most-spoken foreign language.

France has a considerable diplomatic and consular network : of the 150 French embassies distributed throughout the world, 22 are in Latin America and the Caribbean; similarly, of approximately 1,150 Alliances Françaises, 247 are located in Latin America (Argentina is home to the oldest network in the world). French secondary schools, present in almost every country in the region, are among the biggest - 20 secondary schools of France’s 50 schools worldwide have more than 500 students, excluding European and French-speaking countries - and most competitive, boasting a Bac (diploma) success rate of often 100% as well as a large proportion of merits.

France achieves excellent results in the framework of a scientific and technical cooperation based on joint financing . Indeed, Latin America’s sound economic health in 2004 - nearly $2,000b in GDP and average growth of 5.7% - has resulted in even more local resources and increased joint financing. Accordingly, France has become Chile’s leading scientific partner, where it has, in particular, a local branch of CNRS and ONF. It has also worked to create a regional centre of the Institut Pasteur in Montevideo (Uruguay). Brazil is France’s leading partner in Latin America in this field: our scientific and cultural cooperation in Brazil is based primarily on partnership and joint financing.

  France’s economic presence: a considerable weight

From an economic and trade standpoint, France also enjoys a long-standing relationship with Latin America , demonstrated in particular by the early 20th century industrial investments in Brazil. The debt crisis of the 1980s led to a certain decline in French companies in the region, but by the early 1990s, the flows of direct investment and our trade with the various countries of the region made great strides.

In many countries, we are among the leading foreign investors , generally behind the United States and Spain. In Colombia, French investments add up to USD 2b (i.e. 2% of the total), making our country the third-biggest foreign investor. France holds the same position in Argentina, with investments totalling more than USD 10b and, although withdrawal operations are ongoing, French companies were the leaders in privatized utilities and developed a significant position in the industrial sectors (including automotive and services). France is ranked fourth in Brazil, with a 9% share of foreign investment (approximately €8b). Finally, in Venezuela, our country is the second-leading investor (behind the United States but ahead of Spain).

In terms of trade : Brazil is our leading trading partner in Latin America and our second-leading partner outside of the OECD and the Maghreb, just behind China. Mexico is right behind and is our second-biggest customer in the region: our exports have increased sharply, moving from €1400m in 2003 to €1509m in 2004, i.e. nearly three times our exports to Argentina, four times those to Chile and more than seven times those to Venezuela. And, with a total trade flow of €487m, Colombia remained, in 2004, France’s leading trading partner in the Andean Community [2], ahead of Venezuela.

France is paying close attention to the changing situation in areas such as democratic consolidation and strengthening the state of law, the fight against urban violence, corruption and organized crime, and is attempting to provide response elements to solve the region’s problems.

  The need to consolidate democracy and strengthen the state of law...

The end of the Latin American dictatorships has enabled the countries of the region to switch permanently to democracy. Except for Cuba, democracy is everywhere today.

However, disillusionment with democracy is also perceptible . Indeed, a UNDP report, published in 2004, indicates that, according to opinion polls conducted in 18 countries of the region, barely 43% of Latin Americans fully support democracy, 30.5% express reservations and 26.5% have anti-democratic views. Finally, polls carried out by the Chilean institute, “Latino Barometro”, reveal that while 53% of Latin Americans consider democracy to be the best form of government, 52% admit that they would tolerate an authoritarian regime if it solved the economic problems. This disillusionment is explained by the persistent inequalities, poverty and exclusion that the democratic regimes have barely been able to reduce to date.

  ... to fight against new threats affecting Latin America

Violent crime, corruption and organized crime are a real threat to the stability of certain countries of the region . In some Central American countries, “maras[3] or “gangs of children” are a real threat to law and order. Made up of a multitude of hierarchical networks advocating systematic violence, they have turned the political and social landscape upside down in a few years.

Colombia continues to be torn by a conflict that dates back nearly half a century and is based on drug trafficking and abductions. A high crime rate heightens the insecurity in Colombia.

The production of cocaine (Colombian as well as Peruvian and Bolivian) is flowing first and foremost to the North American market. However, flows to Europe are on the rise (250 tonnes/year, according to Europol) and are generating a growing police and health problem (1.8 million Europeans have used cocaine in recent months).

  France’s role in the face of the ills of Latin America

Because of its Departments of Guadeloupe, Martinique and Guyana, France is part of the Americas . As such, it is present as an associate member of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and an observing member of the Organization of American States (OAS). It will be all the better recognized on the continent as a natural partner as the French Departments of the Americas (DFA) maintain close ties with neighbouring countries. As such, greater integration of the DFA into their regional environment is an important challenge.

The countries most affected by crime and insecurity are becoming progressively involved in an international cooperation initiative with police forces and courts tackling their own problems. Each time their efforts are increasingly collective and international. In addition, Latin America - which does not yet have any specific, autonomous tools for analyzing and processing threats to peace and security - is interested in the expertise that France can provide in this area. Therefore, we must continue the efforts underway in order to support all of the policies implemented in the region, with the training of judges and police officers as well as cooperation in the fight against corruption, insecurity and unlawful trafficking.

France remains broadly present in Latin America . Its prestige, both historic and cultural, remains significant. This experience is related to the resources granted to Latin America and France’s economic presence.

France is working to create a centre of stability and growth in Latin America . France encourages the process of deepening regional integration [4], keeping its activities in line with the framework of the European Union. Our country has played - and continues to play - an active role in the process of rapprochement between the two regions: France’s proposal, made jointly with Spain in 1997, to organize a first summit of heads of state and government of the European Union and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean is proof of this [5]. Accordingly, the Rio de Janeiro Summit held on 28 and 29 June 1999 contributed to the establishment of a partnership between Latin America and the European Union, based on a strengthened political, cultural and economic cooperation.

On this basis, France will approach the EU/LAC Summit in Vienna on 11-12 May 2006.

[1] The French community grew 2.4% between 2003 and 2004 against 11.2% between 2002 and 2003.

[2] Made up of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.

[3]Maras or pandillas are “extremely violent gangs of young people, making a living by extortion or drug trafficking, abductions or washing windshields at red lights, but their main raison d’être remains the annihilation of the rival mara”, FAUX Frédéric, “Les maras, gangs d’enfants, violences urbaines en Amérique centrale”, Ed. Autrement Frontière, Paris, 2006.

[4]Creation in December 2004 of the South American Community of Nations, aiming in the long term to bring together South America’s existing regional organizations: MERCOSUR and CAN. On 1 January 2006, the CARICOM common market entered into force.

[5]The 4th EU/LAC Summit will be held in Vienna in May 2006.