The Impact of the Recent Regionalization Reforms in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia: Concepts and Processes

Abstract

Whereas in Peru and Colombia the regional question of the Andean countries was constitutionalized at the end of the past century, in Ecuador and Bolivia it has gained prominence only in recent constitutional reforms. Research has paid attention to regionalization matters in Latin America mainly in relation to uneven development and governance, but not so much in relation to constitutionalism. This paper offers general explanations on the issue of regionalization from a constitutional perspective. It focuses on different regionalization patterns and their impact on the form of the State. Given that the regional question is handled differently in each of these countries, the paper first establishes a conceptual framework applicable to this group of Andean states. Thence it is shown that while regional construction in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru follows a pattern of aggregation on a macro-regional scale, this pattern has been irrelevant in Bolivia. Further, while in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru regionalization has not altered the unitary character of states, it has done so in Bolivia. The article posits that, to a large extent, divergences can be explained by reference to the trends of territorial formation followed by these states in the 19^th century, according to the theses of compared historical analysis.