latin american essays maclas

legal systems. Some of the global international agreements that recognize the
right of regions to have their own legal systems include (1) the Charter of the
United Nations, which recognizes in Chapter Eight the right of regions to have
their own arrangements and, thus, arguably, their own regional legal systems;
and (2) the Statute of the International Court of Justice, which tacitly recognizes
the existence of various juridical systems in Article #9 by providing that the
selection of judges for the tribunal be made taking into consideration the main
forms of civilization and legal systems of the world. This, as Gómez Robledo
adds, is a clear demonstration that the contributions of Inter-American Law and
other regional legal systems are recognized as worthy of consideration by the
highest world court. 33 Some of the main regional agreements and organizations
that confirm the existence of regional legal systems include the Charter of the
Organization of American States and the treaties and bodies of the European
Union.
In conclusion then, the American republics not only have a right to create
new legal principles, but they have also succeeded—in a remarkable feat of
pioneering legal and intellectual creativity—in developing an Inter-American
Legal System. This legal system is a constantly growing body of legal principles
developed by all the American republics to protect their independence, 34 to promote
their peaceful relations, and to foster their sustainable development. In the
dynamic process of developing as well as promoting these original legal
principles and this regional international legal system, the American republics
have also made many outstanding contributions to the reform, improvement,
and strengthening of global international law.
Notes
1 This article is a revised version of the paper presented by the author at the
XXVI Annual Conference of the Middle Atlantic Council of Latin American Studies
held in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on March 13-14, 2006. The author wishes to express
his deep gratitude to the late Professors Emeriti Harold E. Davis and John J.
Finan (in whose memory this article is dedicated) and to Professor Emeritus
Larman C. Wilson and Professor Jack Child for their inspiration, guidance, and
friendship. The author also wishes to express his heartfelt thanks to Dr. David C.
Brown, Dean of the Washington Semester Program at American University; Ms.
Joelle Burbank; Ms. Kristen Cortiglia; Mr. Jeffrey Crouch; Dr. Joseph J. Domask;
Mr. James E. Duckett, Jr.; Ms. Frances R. Foster; Dr. Louis W. Goodman, Dean of
the School of International Service at American University; Ms. Rocío A.
Gutiérrez; Mr. Jonathan L. Hayes; Mr. Enrique C. Maisch; Dr. Patricia A. Maisch;
Ms. Alanna McAdam; Ms. Margo I. Thoresen of American University’s School of
International Service; and Mr. Mark B. Williams for their kind support and most
valuable assistance.
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