Brazil has announced that it will propose the formation of a regional police force as part of the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) trade union, the Associated Press reported March 25, citing Brazilian Vice Minister of Justice Luiz Paulo Barreto. The proposal will take place when Mercosur — comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay — holds its summit in June.

As a rising regional hegemon, Brazil can use organizations like Mercosur to more smoothly integrate other states into its agenda. It is much like the U.S. strategy when it established the Bretton Woods economic system in the wake of World War II, exchanging access to the American market for deference to Washington on security matters. Not only does this strategy avoid the need to strong-arm partners into cooperation, but any predominant power established through this kind of liberal institution building will be much more stable and effective, as its members want to be included in the rising hegemon’s network.

Brazil has a great amount of economic power at a time when capital markets around the world are highly restricted. The sheer size of Brazil’s economy, territory and population gives the regional giant an advantage over all of its neighbors. Its recent history of responsible financial management gives it an enormous number of options for extending aid and financing, which allows the country to gain leverage over regional rivals.

It is through the use of instruments like Mercosur, which already bring states together for economic benefit, that a state like Brazil can achieve greater regional goals. One of Brazil’s top priorities at the moment is enhancing regional security efforts. Brazil has consolidated a great deal of control over its economy (as compared to the days of hyperinflation in the early 1990s) and has begun focusing on exerting greater control over its territory. Dense jungle comprises much of the Brazilian terrain, and there are large portions of Brazilian territory which international smuggling organizations traverse with impunity. At the same time, Brazil is increasingly becoming a consumer market for drugs produced elsewhere in the region. These trends have made international security enhancements much more important for Brazil.

According to Paulo Barreto’s statement, the Mercosur police force (or “Mercopol”) would be designed on the same principles as the international police agency, Interpol. The idea is to create an agency with the authority to investigate criminal activity across borders, something that would be highly beneficial for South American states attempting to combat transnational criminal organizations.

Mercosur is a logical starting point for a regional security initiative, as the tri-border area linking Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay is a key security concern. Additionally, Mercosur’s comparatively small size (four members and the less powerful Mercosur partners Paraguay and Uruguay are mostly along for the ride) makes it relatively easy for Brazil to negotiate a security cooperation agreement. Brazil’s enormous economic heft gives it the ability to link concessions through Mercosur to a regional security agenda.

As Brazil seeks its footing as a rising power in Latin America, using market access to reach higher levels of cooperation is a way to establish a regional hegemonic leadership by bringing partners willingly into the fold.