The economies of the Americas are linked by dense networks of trade, migration, finance, agriculture, energy and manufacturing. Changes in one major market can quickly affect suppliers, consumers and workers elsewhere in the hemisphere.
Economic integration does not eliminate political differences. Governments may pursue different regulatory, trade or industrial policies while remaining commercially dependent on neighbouring markets.
For readers, the important distinction is between political alignment and economic interdependence. The two often overlap, but they are not the same.
Image: Vanilla Bear Films / Unsplash.