Iberoamerican Commonwealth of Nations

The Iberoamerican Commonwealth of Nations (Spanish: Mancomunidad Iberoamericana de Naciones), also known as the Madrid Pact (Spanish: Pacto de Madrid), or simply referred to by its initials ICN, is a political and economic association of 22 Hispanophone and Lusophone countries and their dependencies. All the member countries of the ICN were once territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires, and they maintain strong ties based on their shared language, culture, and history.

The Iberoamerican Commonwealth of Nations has a set of key institutions that facilitate its functioning and decision-making processes. These institutions include the General Secretariat, the Presidency, and the Chair of the Assembly, which work together to promote cooperation and solidarity among the member countries. The General Secretariat is the administrative and diplomatic body of the ICN, responsible for coordinating activities and promoting cooperation among member states. It is headed by a Secretary-General who is appointed by consensus among member states. The current Secretary-General is Maria de Lourdes Belmonte of Macáçar, who took office in 2021. The Secretariat is responsible for implementing the decisions of the ICN, managing its budget, and organizing its meetings and activities.

The Presidency is another key institution of the ICN, serving as the ceremonial head of the organization between Summits, typically three years. The President pro tempore is chosen from among the heads of state or government of the member countries on a rotating basis. The current President pro tempore of the ICN is Gabriel Quadri of Mejico, who assumed office after the XVIII Summit in San Antonio de Béxar in 2021. The President pro tempore is responsible for representing the ICN at international events, promoting its interests and values, and leading the organization's efforts to strengthen cooperation among member states.

The Chair of the Commonwealth Assembly is another important institution within the ICN. The Commonwealth Assembly serves as the parliamentary arm of the organization, promoting legislative cooperation and dialogue among member states. The Co-Chairmen of the Assembly, a title that is shared between a member monarch and the President of Panamá, currently Alfonso XIII of Spain and José Gabriel Carrizo Jaén, serve as the presiding officers of the Iberoamerican Parliament, ensuring the proper conduct of parliamentary proceedings and promoting consensus and cooperation among member states. The Assembly is composed of representatives from each member country and meets regularly to discuss issues of common interest and concern.

In addition to these offices, the ICN also includes a range of associated organizations that operate within the ICN's framework. One of the most important of these if the Central Bank of the Iberoamerican Commonwealth of Nations, which is located in Panamá City, and serves as the primary monetary authority for member states. The Central Bank is responsible for setting monetary policy, managing the ICN's currency, the Iberian peseta, and promoting economic stability and growth throughout the region. Other organizations that are associated with or operate within the ICN include the Commonwealth Trade Organization, which promotes free trade and economic integration among member states; the Commonwealth Development Bank, which provides financing and technical assistance to support economic and social development throughout the region; and the Commonwealth Institute of Culture, which promotes cultural exchange, education, and research among member states.

The ICN traces its roots to the Office of Iberoamerican Education, and achieved an intergovernmental character in 1954 during its second summit, celebrated in Medellín, and was renamed as the Hispanoamerican Union in 1967. At the time, Vasconcelist Mejico was emerging as one of the world's foremost powers and, seeking closer ties with fellow Falangist nations, the Union was established as a political and economic union of former territories of the Spanish Empire. It was originally led by Savador Abascal and Francisco Franco through the signing of the Madrid Charter. In 1973, after the Portuguese victory in its Colonial War, the Lusophone Community joined the Union, as it was officially renamed to the current "Iberoamerican Commonwealth of Nations". Over the years, the ICN has continued to evolve and expand, with new member states joining and the organization taking on new roles and responsibilities. In 2000, the ICN accepted the Luso-African nations of Angola and Barocelia as new members, and in 2013, it welcomed Sofala as its newest memberr, further expanding its reach and influence in the region.

Member states have legal obligations to one another, reflecting the organization's commitment to promoting cooperation and solidarity among member states. For example, member states are obligated to promote military defense to one another, and to engage in economic cooperation that benefits all member nations. At the same time, the ICN serves as an important platform for member states to collaborate on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including topics such as space exploration and colonization, scientific research, and cultural exchange. The shared use of Spanish and Portuguese languages, as well as the countries' shared historical ties, further strengthen the bonds among member states and promote greater understanding and cooperation.

The Madrid Charter, which was established in 1970, defines the shared values and principles that guide the ICN's work. These values include a commitment to Falangism, Catholicism, the rule of law, and the protection of individual freedoms. By upholding these shared values and working together to promote greater cooperation and collaboration, member states of the ICN are able to achieve greater prosperity, stability, and security for all their citizens.

Objectives

The Iberoamerican Commonwealth of Nations serves as a platform for cooperation and collaboration among its member nations, fostering strong cultural, political, and economic ties rooted in a shared history, language, and religious heritage. The ICN is primarily focused in the fields of education, science, technology, and the arts. The objectives of the ICN are outlined in the Madrid Charter:

The Iberoamerican Commonwealth of Nations is an international organization formed by Iberoamerican states that subscribe to the principles of Falangism, National Catholicism, Synarchism, or Integralism. Founded on the basis of a shared history, language, and religious heritage, the ICN serves as a platform for cooperation and collaboration, aiming to strengthen cultural, political, and economic ties among its member nations. With its headquarters located in Madrid, Spain, the ICN operates under the guiding principles and objectives outlined in the Madrid Charter:

• To promote and disseminate the ideologies of the member states of the ICN, fostering a deep sense of national unity, social order, and discipline among the Iberoamerican peoples.
• To contribute to the fortification of knowledge, mutual understanding, integration, solidarity and peace among the Iberoamerican peoples, and to spread religion, education, science, technology and culture.
• To collaborate in the advancement of education, emphasizing the integration of Catholic principles into curricula, promoting moral and civic education, and cultivating a sense of national identity and pride among students.
• To foster cultural exchange and cooperation among member nations, celebrating and preserving the diverse historical, artistic, and linguistic heritage of the Iberoamerican region.
• To collaborate in the interchange of economic, political and cultural influences between Europe and Iberoamerica.
• To collaborate in the difsusion of a common culture, respecting the uniqueness of its member states, encouraging global advances in science and technology while retaining cultural identity.
• To support the advancement of science, technology, and innovation, encouraging research collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and the development of technology to enhance the economic and technological capabilities of member nations.
• To contribute to the maintenance of social harmony and stability through the promotion of corporatist and distributist principles, ensuring the representation of various societal groups and fostering collaboration and solidarity among workers, employers, and professionals.
• To promote the importance of religious freedom within member nations, ensuring that individuals have the right to practice their own faith and fostering an environment of tolerance and respect for diverse religious beliefs.
• To uphold the prime position of the Catholic faith in member nations, collaborating with the Church to promote its teachings, values, and moral principles as integral components of national identity and social cohesion.
• To contribute to the spread of the Spanish and Portuguese languages, encouraging bilingual education while preserving the multicultural identity of the Ibero-American communities with a multilingual culture.