Guarding the Backyard - US Policy in Colombia

Abstract: The United States of America has a long history of involvement in their "backyard" Latin America. However some countries have experienced significantly more involvement than others. In this essay we discuss the role of the US policy in Colombia, and examine how the relationship between these countries can be interpreted through the application of two different theories. Our analysis is based on the Structural theory of Imperialism developed by Johan Galtung and the World Systems theory developed by Immanuel Wallerstein, both of which analyze relations between Centre/Core and Periphery. By focusing on three main topics: paramilitary involvement, human rights violations and democracy, we examine the relationship between the countries. Our results show that the intricate relationship between the US and Colombia is, according to these theories, imperialistic, and that the actions taken by the US concerning Colombia, help to maintain US hemispheric influence.