" maintaining the region as a preservation area would seem to be an equitable solution."
but the people in these countries want the same lifestyle as those in Europe & N America - someone has to provide the cash and I doubt that anyone in say the USA or Germany would pay serious money to Argentina, Chile or Paraguay just to raise their living standards
They'll have to use their own resources - Argentina for axample has one ofthe world's biggest shale gas plays, Chile is a metal paradise