Fronteiras como zonas estratégicas para a integração Regional: a cooperação entre São Borja (BR) e Santo Tomé (AR).

Abstract

Within the current conjuncture of international modern relationships strongly delineated by the globalization phenomenon, the economical and political integration and cooperation among countries are gaining a larger and larger relevance. In this context, a regional integration appears, where blocks formed by a diversity of nations like the European Union or The Southern Common Market (Mercosur), achieve the possibility of becoming important agents in the process of transformation and reorganization of the world wide space. The South Cone block, gathering important countries as Brazil and Argentina, presents itself as a new paradigm in the search for the development of South America, since the previous approaches were not satisfactory and did not lead to the desired results. With the prominence of the regional character associations, the boundaries, extremely sensitive parts to all of these economical political movements, occupy a new position inside of this relational sphere, emerging as approximation areas, contrarily to the classical frontier models or divisional lines. These zones of international physical contact exhibit a peculiar identity, a structure of cooperation and companionship that transcends, sometimes, even the regional organizations in which they are inserted. In this sense, the studies which have their focus centered on the interactions that take place in frontier areas become interesting. Their specificity involves a very proper perception of internationality by the inhabitants of such areas when compared to the ones of other zones. This means just to go towards the other extreme of their space for the former and to go on an international trip for the latter. Aiming to contribute to the study of this reality or the relational-political context of the frontier lines, the concrete example of a cooperative attitude developed in a bordering region is brought: the Câmara Legislativa Binacional São Borja/Santo Tomé. This entity, although not institutionalized, allows a field of debate and political interaction between the legislative departments of the cities of São Borja, in Brazil, and Santo Tomé, in Argentina, which in conjoint reunions aim to resolve punctual questions that are common to both municipalities. Although sometimes one believes that the essence of the cooperation in cases like this is, greatly nourished by the existence of Mercosur, in practice there is no consensus about such issue. This can be perceived through the statements of important members, connected to the Câmara Binacional, which were interviewed in the empirical part of the present work.