In an interview conducted by the Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences website, Dr. Vasconcelos spoke about Mercosur, stating that “it should follow the European model as a framework for integration on the Latin American continent.”
“In my opinion, there are important aspects to Mercosur. Thanks to the proximity of several states in the region, it has been possible to deepen the relationship between those who were once rivals (…) There is a great deal of dialogue among the political leaderships of the countries,” he stated.
He noted that this integration process in Europe began with the economy. He listed some examples, such as coal and steel in the early 1950s and the Marshall Plan in the late 1940s. “It was possible to develop a European project that today has political, economic, and social components thanks to the economy.”
“So I understand that Mercosur would also need greater industrial integration.”
Dr. Vasconcelos holds a Ph.D. in International Relations (summa cum laude) and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Coimbra (Portugal). He is a graduate of the Diploma in Advanced Studies in International Politics and Conflict Resolution at the Faculty of Economics of that university. He is a postdoctoral researcher in the area of energy resources and relations between the European Union and Mercosur at the Center for Social Studies at the University of Coimbra.
He is a Visiting Professor in the Bachelor’s Program in International Studies. In this capacity, he taught Module 2 of the course Analysis of the International Situation from March 13 to 15 and from March 29 to April 1, 2014.