“SOY LATINO” The Constitutional Right to Integration with MERCOSUR

Abstract

This article analyzes regional integration in South America as a constitutional right established in the Constitutions of the founding Member States of Mercosur. It is based on the inquiry: is there a constitutional right to integration? The hypothesis is that the signatory nations, by participating in the bloc, fulfill a constitutional mandate aimed at promoting democratic and economic development, as well as safeguarding human rights in the region. The study is justified by the post-pandemic geopolitical context and the growing dispute between Western and Eastern powers, which reshapes South America’s role within a global environment marked by tensions. Methodologically, this research is exploratory and qualitative, structured as a theoretical essay, through a comparative documentary analysis of constitutions and specialized literature. The conclusion indicates that Latin American transformative constitutionalism provides solid foundations for integration as an instrument of democratic sovereignty, despite institutional limitations and the persistent deficit of social participation in South American countries.