Reconoceremos

Reconoceremos is a Spanish-language phrase that appears in the title of a treaty signed by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela in 1889. The treaty had far-reaching implications for the countries involved, particularly in regards to negotiations over border demarcations and territorial disputes.

The text that is most often associated with "reconoceremos" is found in Article 68 of the treaty, which was meant to address the thorny issue of national borders and access to navigable rivers. However, rather than providing clear and decisive language, the article used opaque and diplomatic phrasing, especially in its third sentence.

"Reconoceremos", as used in this context, is an active verb meaning 'we will recognize' in the first-person plural form. The phrase thus suggests that the countries signing the treaty agreed to recognize and eventually demarcate national borders based on controversial criteria. After signing the treaty, the term took on a life of its own, becoming the subject of a long-standing territorial dispute.

Following the period when the treaty took effect, none of the countries involved were able to fully adhere to its principles and, as a result, multiple disputes were left unresolved. Countries within the region struggled to settle their internal and inter-state disputes surrounding border demarcations and the use of navigable waterways, a problem that initially arose from the treaty's imprecise language on these matters.