Spain in Latin America

Human, historical, social, cultural, political, economic and linguistic ties have made Ibero-America a priority for Spain's foreign policy.

At bilateral level, Spain has revitalised and strengthened relations with its sister countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, boosting mechanisms for political dialogue and collaboration in international organisations.

Spain defends shared values in the region. These include:

Democracy
The rule of law
The safeguarding of human rights, especially of the most vulnerable, with a focus on indigenous and Afro-descendant populations.

Society, economy and culture: strong Spanish ties in the region

Ibero-America and Spain are linked by an indispensable human component, since America is the place of residence of the largest number of Spaniards abroad and Spain is home to a growing Ibero-American community.

In its relations with the continent, Spain also places a special focus on the Caribbean as a region that offers unique characteristics and faces a particular set of challenges.

Spain is one of the main investors in Latin America and has a significant presence in key sectors in the process of development and social modernisation, such as banking, energy, communications, construction and infrastructure management, tourism and the provision of public services.

Spain also considers it essential not only to reinforce dialogue and promote cooperation to contribute to the institutional strengthening of Ibero-American nations, but also to support effective economic reform processes that foster growth and favour the redistribution of wealth and equity.

Minister José Manuel Albares with the Ibero-American Secretary General, Andrés Allamand. MAUC

Spain, strengthening the strategic relationship between Ibero-America and the European Union

Spain plays an essential role in the design of EU policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean. As a promoter of integration and multilateralism as the best response to the new international reality, Spain supports the different processes of economic, political and commercial integration and observes with interest the new drives for integration developing in the region.

During the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2023, the Third EU-CELAC Summit (17-18 July 2023) was held, recovering a dialogue at the highest level that had not taken place since its last meeting in 2015.

At the summit, the European, Latin American and Caribbean states stressed the common values that unite them and reiterated the biennial nature of the EU-CELAC Summits, with the next one to be held in 2025 in Colombia.

From the III EU-CELAC Summit resulted in relevant agreements such as the Joint Declaration on the EU-Latin America and Caribbean Digital Alliance, which promotes dialogue and cooperation on digital issues for the benefit of the citizens of both regions.

Among the achievements during the Spanish Presidency, a commitment was made to invest €45 billion to support the strengthened partnership with Latin America and the Caribbean up to 2027 through the Global Gateway strategy, a platform that includes a list of projects drawn up in close collaboration with the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Group photo of the EU-CELAC Summit held in Brussels in July 2023, under the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU. EFE

Spain in Ibero-American multilateral organisations

Spain participates in the Ibero-American Community of Nations, as a privileged forum for dialogue and cooperation with sister countries in the region, but also projects its participation towards other regional spaces.

Spain's role in Ibero-America is also reinforced by our participation in various Ibero-American multilateral organisations as observers.

This is the case of the Organisation of American States (OAS), since February 1972, and the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI), since November 1982.

Spain also holds observer status in the Central American Integration System (SICA), since 2004, and in the Andean Community (CAN), since 2011. In November 2012, Spain became the first country to join the Pacific Alliance as an observer.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, together with the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, and the Spanish Ambassador to the OAS, Carmen Montón, during a visit to the OAS headquarters in Washington in May 2023. MAUC