UNA-USA Dane County Events

Location: Edgewood College: Anderson Auditorium, Predolin Hall

Date:  November 9, 2010

Time:  7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Topic:  "Historical and Political Roots of the never-ending Colombian Conflict"

GERMÁN ALFONSO PALACIO CASTAÑEDA (German Palacio), visiting Tinker Professor from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, at the Latin American Caribbean & Iberian Studies Program on “Historical and Political Roots of the Never-ending Colombian Conflict”.

BRIEF BACKGROUND:

Civil violence has been part of Colombia’s history for many years.  Since the 1960’s there has been a “multifaceted war among leftist guerrilla, armed forces, and paramilitary groups affiliated either with the armed forces or drug cartels.”  The Colombian government has tolerated, even encouraged formation of death squads to “clean up” urban areas so it could continue to seek foreign aid and investment, especially from the United States.  Now, in the Colombian Amazon with the expected boom in oil extraction and mining, the war against guerrilla forces of FARC could escalate, or there could be new opportunities for local populations.