ABSTRACT

Latin American Relations with the Middle East surveys the dealings of ten Latin American and Caribbean states – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Peru, Mexico, Uruguay, and Venezuela – with the Middle East.

This volume examins these states' external behavior at both an empirical and conceptual level. Empirically, authors seek to examine Latin American and Caribbean foreign policies towards the Middle East in four dimensions: diplomatic attention; trade and investment (including the energy issue); development cooperation; security matters/intelligence, and relationship with multilateralism (Iran, Palestine, and Syria). Case studies are selectively deployed to observe the influence of unfavorable circumstances that have increased since 2015, such as domestic turmoil, wars, economic crisis, ideological bias, and international constraints. Conceptually, the book enhances the theoretical framework for understanding Southern countries’ foreign policies, through fomenting dialogue with Latin American and Caribbean regional literature on foreign policy. Authors inquire about how decision-making processes occur, and uncover how influential actors help to test the main hypotheses of Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA).

Forging essential new paths of inquiry, this book is a must read for researchers of International Relations, Foreign Policy, South-South Relations, Latin American Politics, and Middle Eastern Politics.

chapter 1|24 pages

Under the Western Sign

Argentina's Relations with the Middle East during Mauricio Macri's Government

chapter 2|26 pages

Looking Inward, Moving Outward

Brazil's Middle East Policy as a Case of Domestic Dynamics

chapter 5|22 pages

The Foreign Policy of Costa Rica toward the Middle East

Rapprochement and Economic Interests

chapter 6|21 pages

Cuba's Foreign Policy toward the Middle East

Between Traditions, Collaboration, and Economic Adjustments

chapter 7|25 pages

Mexico's Foreign Policy toward the Middle East

Individual Preferences and Bureaucratic Politics in a Changing International Environment

chapter 8|24 pages

Between Multilateralism and Realpolitik

The Relationship of Peru with the Middle East

chapter 10|23 pages

Venezuela and the Middle East

“Revolutionary” Foreign Policy, Soft Balancing, and Survival Strategy