Description:
Jane Rausch examines the efforts of four presidential administrations to establish effective rule over Colombia’s frontier territories between 1930 and 1946. She focuses on the impact of their policies and reforms on the region of the Llanos Orientales (tropical plains). Her close investigation of the ultimate failure of these initiatives helps explain both the intensity of the long civil war of 1948 to 1964 (known as the Violencia) and the continuation into the 1990s of the area’s reputation as a seedbed for guerrilla activity and drug cartel operations.

Rausch demonstrates that multiple frontiers have played a far greater role in the evolution of the country than has been previously understood. She focuses first on Amazonia and the Afro-Colombian region of Chocó as well as the Llanos; then she provides an in-depth history of the Llanos, a strategically important region gaining interest now because of its newly discovered oil fields as well as its intense guerrilla activity. Colombia will be of great interest to scholars of 20th-century Latin America and to those interested in the role of frontier management in nation-building.


CONTENTS:

List of Maps, Tables, and Illustrations......vi

Preface......ix

Note on Illustrations......xii

Part I. Territorial Rule during the Liberal Republica

Introduction......3
1. The Territories before 1930......5
2. Laying the Foundation: Enrique Olaya Herrera, 1930-1934......27
3. ‘Revolution on Marcha’: Alfonso Lopez Pumarejo, 1934-1938......47
4. Consolidation: Eduardo Santos, 1938-1942......73
5. The Last Hurrah: Lopez Pumarejo and Alberto Lleras Camargo, 1942-1946......102
Liberal Territorial Rule: An Appraisal......121

Part II. The Liberals and the Llanos Frontier

Introduction......127
6. The Comisarieas of Cichada and Arauca: The Far Eastern Frontierr......130
7. The Intendancy of Meta: ‘The Future of Colombia’......157
8. Boyaca’s Province of Casanare: The Forgotten Fronter......188
The Llanos Frontier on the Eve of La Violencia......215

Abbreviations used in notes and bibliography......220
Notes......221
Bibliography......251
Index......263