The Paths of Brazil–Argentina Productive Integration Under Neoliberalism: Origins and Current Challenges

The objective of this article is to analyze the productive integration between Brazil and Argentina and its current challenges. The theoretical foundations of productive integration are examined by means of a presentation of the theoretical framework of ECLAC structuralism and contemporary interpretations. The analysis proceeds by presenting quantitative and qualitative economic data on productive integration between Brazil and Argentina. It is argued that the lack of political coordination and the boycott by liberal governments of the productive integration between the countries from the second half of the 2010s contributed to the deepening of the already existing technological and competitive gap in the industries of both countries, making recovery and planning difficult. The liberal turn of this period is based on the assumption that integration into the value chains of countries at the center of capitalism would bring more benefits than integration aimed at regional value chains.