Political-Economic Factors in U.S. Foreign Policy: The Colombia Plan, the Mérida Initiative, and the Obama Administration

• Published in: Latin American perspectives Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 93 - 108
• Main Authors: Delgado-Ramos, Gian Carlo, Romano, Silvina María, Breña, Mariana Ortega
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Sage Publications 01.07.2011; SAGE Publications; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Armies; Colombia; Countries; Diplomacy; Drug trafficking; Economic factors; Economic resources; Elites; Embassies; Foreign policy; Free markets; Insurgency; Military; Military defense; Military intervention; Military strategy; National security; Obama, Barack; Police; Political economy; Politics; Power; Presidency; Terrorism; U.S.A; Views from the South; War; Wealth; United States > US; Latin America; Mérida Initiative; Obama administration; U.S. Latin American policy; Colombia Plan; Military
• ISSN: 0094-582X; 1552-678X
• DOI: 10.1177/0094582X11406208

U.S. policy in Latin America, even when couched in the openly diplomatic discourse used by the Obama administration, is based on military presence and serves the economic interests of the United States and allied Latin American elites. In order to secure the free-market context that ensures U.S. access to Latin America's strategic resources, U.S. administrations have focused on issues such as security and the fight against narco-insurgency and terrorism, encouraging and directly supporting Latin American regimes in which increased military presence in the government is purported to guarantee internal stability during a time of increasing violence. In reality, what they foster is a complex balance between stability and instability that maintains the region's overall dependence and, therefore, its status as a source of U.S. wealth and power.