Regional integration in Latin America: critical perspectives in the time of populism

This introduction explores the paradox of Latin America's weak regional integration despite its shared linguistic, historical, and cultural ties, alongside strong public support for cooperation. It situates this regional challenge within broader global trends, contrasting Latin America's fluctuating and fragile integration efforts with the more institutionalised and sustained regionalism observed in other regions around the world. The discussion focuses on the role of populism, examining how it influences integration by fostering collective action but, at times, prioritising national sovereignty over supranational commitments. The introduction also considers the historical legacies of colonialism, socio-economic inequalities, and competing ideologies - such as Pan-Amer icanism and Latin Americanism - that shape these dynamics. By addressing key questions regarding the influence of populism on integration processes and examining case studies across different contexts, this special issue provides a timely intervention into debates about the relationship between populism and regional integration. It offers new perspectives on how ideologies, power structures, social forces, and historical legacies have shaped integration processes in Latin America while connecting these developments to global patterns of regional cooperation.