ABSTRACT
Central American states have their own national interests regarding integration. For practical purposes the analysis can be reduced to looking at the interests and preferences of the main states, particularly the interests of those states which have different perspectives regarding what the future and orientation of the integration should be. Costa Rica and El Salvador can be identifi ed as the two states which each represent a competing view regarding the mode and extent of Central American integration. Why focus on Costa Rica and El Salvador? The central reason is that these states pursue domestic as well as distinctive regional policies, which feature competitive views and paradigms for integration.
