The role of Mexico in stabilizing CELAC

The article analyzes the role of Mexico in the functioning and stabilization of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), a regionally integrated organization with weak institutional structures. The study aims to examine Mexico’s contribution to CELAC’s development through functional leadership and project-based diplomacy. Special attention is paid to mechanisms that compensate for the organization’s limited institutionalization without creating supranational bodies. The research focuses on the political-diplomatic tools Mexico uses to maintain CELAC’s operations, while the object of study is the broader integration processes and coordination mechanisms within Latin America and the Caribbean. The methodology combines institutional and comparative political approaches with elements of case studies. Problem-chronological and content analysis methods are applied. The empirical base includes official CELAC documents, such as declarations, action plans, and statements, as well as peer-reviewed publications. The scientific novelty lies in conceptualizing Mexico’s leadership not as formal institutional dominance but as functional influence, realized through practical projects, sectoral coordination, and sustained dialogue procedures. During Mexico’s 2020–2021 chairmanship, CELAC partially shifted from a discussion platform to a practical coordination tool in health, scientific and technological cooperation, and climate adaptation. The study demonstrates that functional leadership can partially offset CELAC’s institutional weaknesses. However, the sustainability of this model depends on foreign policy priorities of member states, the degree of consensus within the group, and the prevailing political context. The findings highlight the role of Mexico in fostering operational continuity and project-based cooperation, offering insights into how weakly institutionalized regional organizations can maintain relevance and achieve practical outcomes despite structural limitations.