Paradiplomacia y regionalismo en situación de relaciones políticas en conflicto: El caso de Chile y Bolivia

Abstract

The article discusses “regionalism” and “para-diplomacy”, as well as the relationship between these two practices of international relations, and explores possible applications of such practices to the relations between Chile and Bolivia. Theoretical and practical developments and experiences in contemporary international relations are analyzed, to evaluate their prospects in the situation of two countries with no diplomatic relations, and the possibilities of changing that state of affairs. The text sets out, first, the theoretical debates and current case studies on regions and regionalism; then discusses the theoretical and empirical experiences of paradiplomacy, paying special attention to their use in situations of political conflict, to then apply both practices to the status of relations between Bolivia and Chile. As a result of the transformations in the Bolivian State, concepts such as “region” and “paradiplomacy” could be reformulated in the future. The same could be the case with regionalism, depending upon the way in which regions develop their external articulation.