ABSTRACT
Interaction between theory and praxis complicates compromise in US-Latin American relations. As for practice, specific US-Latin American policy differences often express underlying divergencies in values openly and abrasively, which may remain latent if confined to an abstract, philosophical level. Consensus-building can contribute to the control of US-Latin American disputes on both levels, that is, values and policy implementation. The exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and human rights illustrate how consensus-puilding can assist reconciliation of basic values and specific policies between the United States and Latin America. For both Latin American states and the United States, the two selected issues, the EEZ and human rights, involve equity and freedom as central or core values. The arrows suggest that pairs of related consensual and conflictual trends evolve through dynamic or dialectical tension, so that consensus-building in each case must be concerned with identification and encouragement of a viable synthesis.
