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This is a very interesting time in Latin American politics. Make no mistake about it, what is happening between Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela is a surrogate battle over who will control the political mandate of the region for years to come. It is no secret that Colombia is one of the world’s largest beneficiaries of U.S. military aid, second only to Israel. In 2007, Colombia received $600 million from Washington to defeat the four-decade-old battle against the FARC and other elements the CIA has deemed counter-productive to the financial stabilization of that nation. In 2008 this has grown to include the leadership of Ecuador, Bolivia, and its most ardent foe, the cantankerous, yet revolutionary Hugo Chaves of Venezuela.

Now history has taught us that war ultimately preys on the common people. Entire communities are murdered, maimed, and displaced, forever torn from civility. But behind every one of the governmental ploys that trigger such unwarranted terror, there lie serious political issues that we must come to grips with.

First of all, lets recognize that Colombia is governed by a right wing, U.S, friendly president who champions free trade, globalization, and the continued eradication of indigenous sovereignty. I know my Colombian friends are proud of their land, culture and music. Who isn’t? But ya’ll have to wake up and smell the coffee, especially the one brewing underneath the state coffers in Bogotá. The U.S dollars that you send back home or spend when you go visit happen to circulate in a regional economy largely linked to the U.S military. Ok, what does this mean in paisa terms?

Think of your precious hair. Every time you buy gel, a portion of the money goes into a chemical that will make you grow bald, very quickly. And think of that product as being a cup of your favorite coffee, two things you would never think of having any relation. The militarization of Colombia has created many new professions for the middle class. The training, development, administration, and marketing of a military industry has rooted a new cadre of professional citizens who are now instructors, attorneys, doctors, hotel managers, etc. These citizens are the element of the economy that defines what is known as “market growth”. They’re the ones that make capital investments in properties with long term equity, i.e. homes, cars, college tuition, and lets not forget the booming kidnapping insurance industry. They’re a small portion of the population, but ultimately influential in the ideological politics that govern the nation. Uribe ultimately responds to them, right after he consults with Michael Hayden.

And this is where the FARC, as problematic as they have become, still represent a vital symbol of resistance to the neo-conservative financial model of the United States. For decades now the FARC has come to symbolize a thorn in the backside of the U.S. Washington needs the drug cartels so that it can feed the military industry back at home. The weapons given to Colombia in its war against the cartels are responsible for a large part of the  $243 trillion high tech military industry in America. The FARC, in its repossession of land and direct involvement in cocaine production have created a double edge sword for the gringos.

In the 90s it was relatively easy to denounce Pablo Escobar as a vicious terrorist who should be assassinated for his attacks on ordinary citizens, even though ironically, he bought weapons directly from the CIA. Once the FARC became involved in the cocaine market, in effect, they politicized the moral arguments that framed the discourse on drugs. Whereas Escobar was totalitarian in his infrastructure, the FARC’s dialogue of the late 90s centered on land reform, distribution of wealth and the sovereignty of workers. Yes, these glorious thoughts were indeed compromised by the savage character of its leadership, who aggressively killed innocent folk. But nonetheless, it made Marx a new player in the drug deal.

And today, we are at the brink of a regional war Colombia desperately needs to get out of if it has any hope of reconciling with the rest of the continent. This nation state has become the premier undertaker of US interests. Its entrance into Ecuadorian territory is undermining the sovereignty of other nations in protecting political refugees. It might have worked ten years ago, but best believe that Chavez is looking to make a statement. It will be very hard for Colombia to defend its position in the years to come.

In terms of future diplomacy, the damage has been done; so expect the worse. This is a classic example of how regional countries with shared histories become destabilized by foreign interests, Dominican Republic in '65, Chile in '73, El Salvador in '85, Colombia in '08.

Stay awake ya’ll.