Political economy of Latin American telecommunications : multilateral agreements and national regulatory systems

This paper looks at how recent trends in international telecommunication services agreements impact Latin America. It starts by developing a framework for analysis of conflicts, challenges and local interests in the service industry. It then reviews major regional and international agreements concerning regulation of telecommunication services, namely GATS/WTO, Mercosur and NAFTA, and discusses how these agreements affect telecommunication regulation in Latin America. Finally, the paper enquires into main areas of conflicts and national and subregional reactions in response to the new agenda