Socialist Free trade coming to South America--- Seven countries are meeting next month to plan a free trade?

Question

union ... lead by Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil Uruguay and Paraguay and likely Peru have plans to make a new trade union.
Chile is already in the deal with Canada and Mexico in case you didn't know. Now Bush wants to add Panama and Colombia to the North America one to counter balance.
A monetary fund is also being developed by the Socialist union.
What effects if any do you think this will have on the USA?

Answer 1

I like the response by some of those who did however the one seems to have a little of the anti socialist bug that is going around right now in the US. Most Americans think the word is communist and therefor since they were brainwashed in the cold war against that word it is all the same to them.
I think it will be good for those countries to unite. They are poor and it will help. The Americans are still working on the divide and control principle which only makes things worse.
Colombia has no choice because they live off American infused money to fight drugs and get ride of some guerrillas. It is working. the FARC is falling apart. In stead of a kid napping of foreigners every 15 minutes it has dropped to one hour....
Bush has likely done more damage to the US relations in the world then anyone could do in two terms. The only good thing about it is that he was open and honest in his ignorance and activities whereas Kissinger and company were covert and secretive in their devious deeds.

Answer 2

I think characterizing these countries as socialist in wrong. Their economies are still run by the same ruling elite that has controlled them since they gained independence, Corrupt politicians spouting a populist rhetoric is not socialism. Look at the inequality measures (Ginni index) of South America compared to the socialist countries in northern Europe
http://www.nationmaster.com/red/graph/eco_dis_of_fam_inc_gin_ind-distribution-family-income-gini-index&b_map=1
I have no problem with them forming a trade union, it may actually help their economies, and they need all the help they can get. But except for Brazil they are small poor countries so even their combined GDP is not much, and should have little effect on the US, except they are a non middle eastern source of oil.

Answer 3

Well I guess that the American hegemony in the Americas is all over at last.And those countries got tired of the same old Neo-Con BS economic 'shock therapy' back in the 80's and 90's ,which actually made there countries poorer even more so,so yeah, I could see how they would try to gang up on Uncle Sam for failing those nation quite miserably,even if I don't generally agree with socialist agendas myself.