Land of

1
Colombia

• Land of
• la violencia

2
Traditional Political Parties, 19th and
early-20th centuries

• Liberal Party
• Principles?
• Supporters?

• Conservative Party
• Principles?
• Supporters?

3
Initiation of la violencia

• Liberal Party hegemony, 1853-1884
• 1853 Liberal Constitution
• Factionalization of Liberals (golgatas and
  draconianos)
• 1863 adoption of new Constitution established
  Confederacy and opened door for department-level
  bloodshed and political conflict

4
Conservative dominance, political reform, more
violence

• Conservative political dominance and reforms,
  1884-1899
• 1884 Constitution
• 1899 War of a Thousand Days (Panama breaks away)

5
la violencia, 1948-1958

• Underlying causes
• El Bogotazo, February 1948
• Character of political conflict and violence

6
Period of National Front

• Power-sharing agreement
• 1958-1974, formal agreement
• --President alternated between Conservatives and
  Liberals
• --Cabinet parity
• --legislature equally divided
• 1974-early-1990s, informal agreement
• Consequences of National Front

7
Political Conflict, 1960s-present

• Major Actors
• Guerrilla organizations
• FARC, ELN, EPL, M-19
• Colombian military
• Paramilitary organizations
• Drug lords/narcotraficantes
• U.S. government

8
M-19

• Movimiento Abril 19
• (April 19 Movement)
• Now the M-19/AD Party
• Carlos Pizarro, former head of M-19 guerrilla
  org. (on left)

9
FARC

• Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia
• Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces
• Largest guerrilla organization in Colombia
• Controls large areas of Colombia
• Financing kidnapping, taxes on coca growers
  and the wealthy

10
ELN

• Ejército de Liberación Nacional
• Army of National Liberation
• Smaller group
• Target energy pipelines and infrastructure

11
EPL

• Ejército Popular de Liberación
• Popular Liberation Army
• Smaller than FARC or ELN
• Negotiated peace with government in 1991

12
Colombian Military

• Historical U.S.-Colombian Military Relationship
• War on Drugs
• Current Relationship with U.S.

13
Paramilitary Groups

• Historical Background
• Association with drug trafficking
• MAS
• AUC
• Involvement in political killings
• Relationship with Colombian military

14
Narcotraficantes
15
U.S. Government
16
Plan Colombia

• designed by Colombian President Pastrana to curb
  drug trafficking and civil disorder
• supported by U.S. government financially,
  militarily and morally

17
Goals of Plan Colombia

• Colombias goal
• Gain control over country by eliminating guerillas

• U.S. goal
• Reduce trafficking in illegal drugs

18
Methods of Plan Colombia

• 2000-2001 1.2 b.
• U.S. counter-narcotics aid to Colombia, 80 for
  military equipment and training
• 731 m.
• Andean Counter-drug Initiative, 65 for military
  equipment and training