The first Panamericanism: a bridge between the Law of Nations and International Law

Abstract

This essay provides a comprehensive and analytical look, devoid of traditional patriotic emotion which often accompanies the study of the initial page of the political annals of The Americas, one that is never finished, always under construction, and permanently relevant, as it relates to the attempt at the political  (re)integration of Latin America. It deals with a specific juncture where the newly acquired independence of the territorial entities recently liberated from Spain was being timidly consolidated, as they entered the international arena, more than by force of arms by the circumstances of the moment, which precluded a turbulent and contradictory Spain from successfully reconquering much of its old overseas territories, as she was immersed in the assimilation of liberalism and ius political modernity at home. It explains the background, details and reasons for the initial failure of the region´s political integration during the first three decades of the nineteenth century. It seeks to contribute to the dissemination of the history of Latin American law and political institutions.