Manuel Riesco: Chile should focus its active role in the ongoing process of Latin American integration and participate in BRICS

Manuel Riesco, economist and Vice President of the Centre for National Studies of Alternative Development (CENDA), holds a degree in engineering sciences and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Chile. In 1985, he studied for a doctorate in political economy at the Institute of Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

In an interview with Cronica Digital, specially for TV BRICS, Manuel Riesco shared his views on Chilean and Latin American events and their relationship with the BRICS.

Among your academic interests is Latin American integration. Could you please tell us more about this phenomenon? What has already been done in this area, and what, in your opinion, is necessary to do in the future?

Latin American integration, the dream of the Liberator Simon Bolivar, represents the primary aspect of the only development strategy that can provide the countries of this continent south of the Rio Grande the minimum of independence and sovereignty required for the economic, social, and political development of their peoples in today's world.

This can only be achieved by creating a space for the free movement of goods, capital, and people, protected and regulated by common supranational state institutions, scaled to match today’s leading state actors. The same role was played by modern nation states, most of which were created in the second half of the 19th century.

This vision was presciently embraced by the founding fathers of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in the 1960s, led by the great Argentine economist Raul Prebisch. Similarly, the President of Revolutionary Cuba, Commander Fidel Castro, expounded this vision in his historic speech at the grand new headquarters of this UN agency in Santiago in 1971, seated next to Chile’s constitutional and revolutionary President, Salvador Allende.

Latin American integration is a complex historical construction that has been in progress for half a century in our region and is still in its early stages, facing significant interference from those who adhere to the old proverb of “divide and conquer.” This very reason compels our countries to persevere on this path until its realisation, a vision our generation aspired to complete but may leave as a task for those who follow in guiding our nations.

Several Latin American countries are expressing interest in the BRICS group. What are the prospects for cooperation between Latin American states and BRICS?

Chile’s national interests, which should guide its active participation in Latin American integration, also imply joining BRICS – independently or, preferably, alongside other countries in the region.

However, Chile’s national interests go beyond commercial considerations. Our participation and active support for BRICS should promote the progress of the entire developing world in a spirit of peaceful cooperation among equal partners, each able to determine its own path.

Which areas of the economy do you find most promising for cooperation between Chile and Russia?

Currently, Chile primarily exports food products to Russia, particularly seafood. Several decades ago, we also imported Russian-made cars and tractors. We believe trade should expand significantly for mutual benefit. For example, Chile could import technology and equipment for the mining and processing industries and collaborate in scientific and technological fields essential for supporting the country’s reindustrialisation.

With which BRICS countries does Chile have the strongest cooperation? In which sectors?

Chile’s second-largest trading partner is the country whose name begins with the first letter of the BRICS acronym. Our cooperation with Brazil in all areas, including investments abroad, certainly holds a leading position, as does our interaction with South Africa across all areas of international relations.

Are there areas of cooperation between Chile and BRICS that remain underdeveloped but hold potential?

I recently mentioned the importance of establishing ties in areas related to reorienting Chile’s economy from one based on raw natural resource exports to one that creates added value through our young, healthy, and skilled workforce in industrial production. This includes developing supply chains in natural resource extraction.

Chile is one of the world’s largest lithium producers. What measures is the government taking to protect the environment during extraction?

Lithium extraction in Chile takes place from brine in salt flats high in the mountain ranges of the country’s north. It is a relatively simple process involving pumping the brine and allowing it to evaporate under the sun, after which valuable by-products like potassium and iodine are extracted, covering all process costs and making lithium extraction profitable.

However, this has a significant impact on the delicate salt flat ecosystems, as the water in these brines has been there since the last Ice Age, around ten thousand years ago. The environmental challenges here are therefore more complex than those associated with traditional mining. One government-backed project aims to replace the evaporation process with direct mineral extraction, returning the water to the salt flats. However, this issue remains unresolved.

Lithium is a key component in electric vehicle batteries. How developed is electric transport in Chile, both in the private and public sectors?

At present, this mode of transport is scarcely used. Even trams, trolleybuses, and electric trains, which once served major cities and much of the country, were dismantled during the government led by Augusto Pinochet and replaced with internal combustion engines. The only significant exception is the Santiago Metro, built in recent decades.

Language is a key aspect of international cooperation. Are there any specific features in teaching the languages of partner countries in Chile?

Currently, the primary focus in Chile is on English, which is widely studied. In the case of Brazil, our second-largest trading partner, the language barrier is minimal, as Spanish and Portuguese are similar. However, despite China being our primary trading partner, there is no large-scale programme for studying Chinese. This needs to change.

By Ivan Gutierrez Lozano, editor at Cronica Digital.

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