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This article analyzes the origin and development of two antagonistic concepts in the history of the Americas: Bolivarism and Pan-Americanism. Bolivarism was born from the actions and thought of Simón Bolívar, who aimed to integrate the countries that were formerly Spanish colonies into a single unit to confront the threats posed by the great powers of the time. Pan-Americanism, on the other hand, is a product of the industrial and commercial development of the United States, which sought to expand its markets into Latin America at the end of the 19th century. The article employs a historiographic method based on the analysis of primary sources (Bolívar's epistolary correspondence) and secondary sources (works by specialized historians). The results show that these two visions are contradictory: while Bolivarism sought regional integration without including the United States, Pan-Americanism aimed for the integration of the entire American continent, with the United States at the forefront, subordinating the rest of the continent to its economic, political, cultural, and even military interests. It is concluded that Bolivarism constituted a project of sovereign integration, whereas Pan-Americanism was conceived as a mechanism of imperial domination.
Este obra está bajo una licencia de Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional.
