ABSTRACT
In April 2011 the presidents of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru issued the Lima Declaration, which set out the vision for the creation of the Pacific Alliance (Alianza del Pacífico). The Declaration was notable for its conciseness unlike many Latin American political statements. Its clarity and restraint in terms of objectives and ambitions were remarkable too. The vision enshrined in the Declaration went against the prevailing zeitgeist. It emphasized the economic character of the undertaking, the commitment to free trade and entrepreneurship as well as the belief in investment and competitiveness as the best way to pursue societal development and international insertion. In particular, the initiative intended to reach out to the Asia-Pacific region, a novel approach to integration in Latin America.1
