Claves de la política exterior de Colombia

Abstract

Colombia, like Latin America, has been and is more an “object” than a “subject” inthe international arena. Its relationship with the united states obeys a logic that has nothing todo with the existing order but with politics and decisions by the ruling elite. According to the characteristics of this trend, political decisions have been virtually grounded to what is symbolically called as Respice Polum—to look towards the “Northern star”— meaning united states. Therehave been times when the policy was symbolically called Respice similia—to look at the “similar”— linked to a diversification of relations in a more “horizontal” approach in response tothe “south-south” criteria, but these moments are so fleeting and weak that they only show hownear or far Colombia has been from the U.S., always gravitating in its sphere of influence.