The Association for Latin American Integration (ALADI) was created with the signature of the Treaty of Montevideo on the 12th August 1980 replacing the project of creation of a Latin America Free Trade Association (LAFTA). The ALADI is the largest Latin-American group of integration and currently has twelve member countries.  It works as the institutional and normative “umbrella” of regional integration that shelters these agreements, including subregional agreements such as CAN, MERCOSUR, G-3 among others. This intergovernmental organization aims to support  the creation of a common economic area.

ALADI (Articles 28 and 29 of Montevideo Treaty 1980 - TM80) has established three political bodies: the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Conference of Evaluation and Convergence and the Committee of Representatives, as well as a technical body, the General Secretariat. The association is based on the principles of pluralism, convergence, flexibility, differential treatment and multiplicity. The ALADI promotes the creation of an area of economic preferences in the region, aiming at a Latin-American common market.