Friday, November 06, 2009
President Alvato Uribe of Colombia with President Obama
Latin American leaders have expressed concern over a new bilateral military agreement between the United States and Colombia that involves security issues related to “anti-U.S. governments” in the region. The 10-year treaty gives American military forces access to seven Colombian army, navy and air force bases, but also to major international civilian airports in the country. In addition, U.S. personnel and defense contractors will enjoy diplomatic immunity under the agreement.
Officials in Washington and Bogota have insisted the arrangement is merely to help combat drug trafficking in Colombia, the world’s biggest producer of cocaine, and a leftist guerrilla movement threatening the government. The U.S. placed greater importance on securing the new deal with Colombia after Ecuador’s leftist government refused to renew its agreement to allow American forces to use an air base for counter-narcotics operations.
More importantly, a U.S. Air Force document obtained by the media states the arrangement with Colombia provides a “unique opportunity” for “conducting full spectrum operations throughout South America,” including handling threats from “anti-U.S. governments.”
Venezuela’s government, led by Latin America’s most vocal critic of the U.S., President Hugo Chávez, broke off diplomatic relations with the government of Colombia over news of the military treaty. Chávez has warned that Colombian military bases could be used by the U.S. to attack his country.
-Noel Brinklerhoff
Concern at Nature of US Bases in Colombia (by Tom Hennigan, Irish Times)
New Row Over Colombia-US Accord (BBC News)
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