ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes Mercosur’s performance, exploring its advances and setbacks, contextualizing these processes in broader global and Latin American regional trends, as well as local political dynamics. Drawing on the secondary literature and Mercosur documents, it argues that despite Mercosur´s lack of progress in moving toward deeper economic integration, it has contributed to the establishment of norms and standards and positive change in social practices in a number of policy areas over its more than 25 years of existence. Should it disintegrate as a whole, this will be not due to lack of achievements, but rather, to profound global, regional, and local level changes shaking political, economic, and social life in the region.
