Risks and Heritage Preservation Potential in Latin America and the Caribbean | Riesgos y potenciales de preservación patrimonial en América Latina y el Caribe

Inglés. The development strategies that have been adopted in Latin America and the Caribbean have led to serious damage for heritage and life. Therefore, we analyze the major risks and the preservation potential of UNESCO World Heritage sites, to propose new approaches for preserving the heritage in Latin America. Methodologically, the research involves two analytical stages: i) definition of the issues with risk potential in the region (approaches and connections); ii) risk (R) identification and heritage preservation potential (PP) in Latin America (summary table for sites in Peru, Mexico, Cuba, Panama and Brazil). The empirical analysis (seven sites in five countries) produces variables that may promote the development of risk management policies for sites and life, as well as reinforce the territorial heritage and territory of exception concepts in alternative preservation practices in Latin America and the Caribbean. When considering the major risks, unavoidable losses, and the existence of potential preservation sites in the continent identified from the cases investigated, it is obvious that risk management policies on patrimonial praxis have the capability to develop a less instrumental and functional rationale, becoming more human. Tourism (from theoretical and practical perspectives) can be perceived as an alternative for social development and not only as a threat. The empirical evidence across the continent reveals variations in the tourism status of each site, correlated with the contents of the uses of the territory: formal households vs slums, local trade or tourism, spatial policy of collective ownership vs private property. The generalization of abstract criticism of tourism is irrelevant, leads to the loss of local potential, hinders the importance of popular power in territorial-heritage issues; powerful criticism is derived from specific analyzes. Supporting tourist practices that involve popular stakeholders — that are connected materially and emotionally with the territory — will lead to the minimization of damages related to the uses of heritage and the spatial stigma.

Español; castellano. La racionalidad instrumental del desarrollo que se asume en América Latina y el Caribe genera serios daños para el patrimonio y la vida. Por lo tanto, se analizan los principales riesgos y los potenciales de preservación en sitios Patrimonio de la Humanidad, para generar nuevos enfoques sobre patrimonio en el continente. Metodológicamente, la investigación presenta dos momentos analíticos: i) define los problemas originarios de riesgos en la región (abordaje y conexiones); ii) identifica los riesgos (R) y los potenciales de preservación patrimonial (Pp) en el continente (cuadro de síntesis para sitios en Perú, México, Cuba, Panamá y Brasil). El análisis empírico (siete bienes de cinco países) genera variables que pueden estimular políticas de gestión de riesgos para los sitios y la vida, así como reforzar los conceptos patrimonio-territorial y territorio de excepción en las prácticas alternativas de preservación en América Latina y el Caribe.