Cooperation and Discord in South America in the Twenty-First Century: The Consequences of the Colombia-United States Military Agreement of 2009

Relations between Colombia and the United States have been simultaneously complex and peculiar. Bogotá has been a traditional ally of Washington’s with respect to international law, democracy, and multilateralism, and the international order promoted by the United States after 1945. However, both Colombia’s internal conflicts and its drug-related problems have affected that country’s image since the 1950s. This has also limited bilateral relations and has facilitated the prioritization of U.S. military and social aid (via Plan Colombia) toward the defeat of the insurgency—and even more so after the 9/11 attacks, which resulted in the two countries growing closer due to the mutual sympathy between Presidents Uribe and Bush