Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
In 1976 the Colombian government signed an association contract
with INTERCOR, a subsidiary of The Exxon Corporation, to explore
and later exploit the coal mines of El Cerrejon. This contract,
its history and the controversial debates it generated,
exemplifies the historical dependency upon Western superpowers in
which Colombia has found itself since the Spanish Conquest. It is
a model for the study of neo-colonialist imperialism, since it
can be analyzed both, in terms of how Colombia, under its current
economic order, is dependent upon u.s. business interests, and
also in terms of how the political system of Colombia is
structured around the maintenance of imperialism, especially
because this state of affairs is vital in maintaining the ruling
class in power. Analyzing the Cerrejon contract from this
perspective leaves little doubt that Colombia must employ radical
measures to shake off its dependency upon the United States.
with INTERCOR, a subsidiary of The Exxon Corporation, to explore
and later exploit the coal mines of El Cerrejon. This contract,
its history and the controversial debates it generated,
exemplifies the historical dependency upon Western superpowers in
which Colombia has found itself since the Spanish Conquest. It is
a model for the study of neo-colonialist imperialism, since it
can be analyzed both, in terms of how Colombia, under its current
economic order, is dependent upon u.s. business interests, and
also in terms of how the political system of Colombia is
structured around the maintenance of imperialism, especially
because this state of affairs is vital in maintaining the ruling
class in power. Analyzing the Cerrejon contract from this
perspective leaves little doubt that Colombia must employ radical
measures to shake off its dependency upon the United States.
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