ANDEAN PRESIDENTS SHOW TACIT SUPPORT FOR FUJIMORI

   
The XII Andean Presidential Summit took place in Lima, Peru on June 8 and 9, with discussions that revolved around regional integration and the creation of an Andean common market by 2005. The presidents of Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia attended.

The summit convened amid the controversy following the Peruvian elections, in which President Alberto Fujimori won a third consecutive term. The tense atmosphere reflected the politically charged situation in the host country. Just days before, the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) voted to send a high-level mission to Peru to study the state of democracy there. During the summit itself, students, unions and members of opposition parties protested outside, holding banners and signs that pleaded with the heads of state in attendance not to support "the tyrant." Other protesters branded Fujimori's election as illegal and called for a popular insurrection.

Fujimori inaugurated the proceedings with a call for "an expanded Andean nationalism" destined to overcome "closed and ahistorical tendencies." Consolidation of the Andean Community, he argued, would further the region's insertion as an economic and political bloc in an increasingly globalized international environment. "This is the challenge of the twenty-first century," he said. "It reaffirms our faith in ourselves and the strength of our convictions, which have enabled us more than once to overcome obstacles and threats of discord that would have sunk this project."

Many observers interpreted Fujimori's comments as an attempt to establish a climate of regional unity before the arrival of the OAS mission. In the Peruvian newspaper La Rep�blica, columnist Alejandro Destua argued that with the "internal front" under control, the president sought to manipulate the external front, putting the survival of his government above concerns for the health of the state. What better tactic than to present Peru as counting on the support of its Andean allies?

Colombian President Andr�s Pastrana implicitly challenged this vision with his address to the summit. Pastrana urged his counterparts to ratify an additional protocol to the Cartagena Accord establishing the Andean Community's commitment to democracy. His comments were clearly directed toward Peru, the only member of the group yet to ratify the 1998 agreement. Peru eventually signed the accord, which calls for a suspension of the system of integration in cases in which a member country violates the democratic order.

The summit closed with the signing of the so-called Lima Act, which states that "democratic institutions and the rule of law are essential conditions for political cooperation and economic, social and cultural integration" within the Andean Community. Critics of the Fujimori government pointed out the contradiction between this declaration and the recent events in Peru. However, the Lima Act also includes a commitment to principles of sovereignty and non-intervention. "Integration implies the recognition of a common cultural identity based on shared values that reflect the profound democratic aspirations of our peoples," the text reads, "as well as the will to strengthen institutions that protect the rule of law, respect for human rights and civic participation. This shared identity," it continues, "allows us to more effectively affirm our sovereignty and sustain the principle of non-intervention."

Some analysts considered these comments to be an expression of support for the Peruvian government, and a dangerous echo of Venezuelan leader Hugo Ch�vez's call for "the vindication of our people's sovereignty." Ch�vez has made direct statements telling the rest of the world "not to intervene in our internal affairs." The press called the Lima Act "a diplomatic victory for Peru, which gained new backing after the international storm that erupted after the recent presidential elections."

Finally, the Lima Act also commits the region's leaders to the creation of an Andean Common Market by December 31, 2005. According to the agreement, the result will be "a space for the free circulation of goods, services, capital and people, which pursues the goals of human development of the member states and their competitive insertion in the world economy."

The Andean countries have made other attempts at integration in the past. Perhaps this time the countries involved will follow up on their declarations to implement real advances governed by democratic principles. The clearest statement to emerge from the summit, however, was the reaffirmation of non-intervention. This emphasis has led observers to question whether the Andean countries are in fact committed to the Cartagena Accord and its commitment to democracy.