U.S. Impunity in Colombia: A Political Economy Analysis of U.S. Backed Violence in Colombia

Abstract

Colombia has been in a constant state of conflict for the majority of its history. The Colombian Conflict has contributed to over 220,000 deaths and over 5.5 million displacements, but the blame of this grave human rights issues has yet to be placed. While on paper, Colombia and the U.S. have deep-rooted ties through the economy and its alliance during the Cold War, USAID to the Colombian military has produced and reproduced a violent cycle within Colombia. In this political economy analysis of U.S. backed violence in Colombia, the relationship between the U.S. and Colombia will be thoroughly examined following the entrance of Colombia to the global market. Through review of other political economy literature, this analysis will address the structural issues of the Colombian criminal justice system and its deplorable impunity rate of human rights violations that disproportionately affect Indigenous and Afro-Colombians. In doing so, this analysis will argue for the need of more inclusive political economy lite