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Intro -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- List of Abbreviations -- Introduction -- Part One: Historical Background of Colombia before 2010 -- Chapter One: Political Patterns before 2002: The Context of Government Decision Making before the Administration of President Álvaro Uribe -- Chapter Two: Changes in the Balance of Power during the Administration of President Álvaro Uribe -- Part Two: The Santos Negotiations -- Chapter Three: The Beginning of the Negotiations and the First Three Agreements: August 2010 to March 2014 -- Chapter Four: Victims and Justice: June 2014 to September 2015 -- Chapter Five: The Final Negotiations: March to August 2016 -- Part Three: The Plebiscite and the New Final Agreement -- Chapter Six: The Debate about the Peace Agreement and the Plebiscite -- Chapter Seven: The Renegotiations and the Second Final Agreement -- Part Four: Conclusions -- Chapter Eight: The Reasons an Agreement with the FARC Was Reached -- Chapter Nine: Tentative Conclusions about the Implementation of the Agreement -- Appendix 1. Participants in the Peace Process -- Appendix 2. Chronology of the Peace Agreement -- Notes -- Selected Bibliography -- Index.

Although Colombia is the third-largest country in Latin America, it has been little known until recent years and does not fit many of the patterns common to other countries in the region. Competition between political parties, for example, has always been more important than class conflict; there is no tradition of military dictatorship; and corporatist structures are weak. Over the past decade, however, Colombia has gained notoriety, principally as the supplier of 80 percent of the cocaine consumed in the United States. The second edition of this comprehensive country profile begins with a discussion of the blend of Andean and Caribbean characteristics that define Colombia, particularly in its geography, demography, and social structure. The author then presents a detailed political history that extends from before the arrival of the Spanish, including a portrait of early Amerindian populations, and continues through the turbulence of guerrilla, drug, and paramilitary violence in the 1980s and constitutional reforms of the 1990s. Harvey Kline argues that Colombia is now conscientiously attempting to alter historical patterns that have led it to play a key role in the international drug trade and to lead the world in the rate of homicides. A chapter on the economy offers a historical analysis of its evolution and examines economic and trade policies of recent presidents. Finally, the author looks at the international dimension of Colombian politics, especially its long-standing relationship with the United States and its increasingly important regional ties.

"Fighting Monsters in the Abyss studies the complex constraints and trade-offs the second administration of Colombian President Uribe (2006-2010) encountered as it attempted to resolve that nation's violent Marxist insurrection and to have a more efficient judicial system"--Provided by publisher

Occasionally, an attempt is made at a breakthrough in the military stalemate in the civil war in Colombia between the government and the Marxist groups. One of the most promising of such attempts was made by new Colombian President Andres Pastrana. This book is an account of that effort at peace.

During their presidencies, both Virgilio Barco Vargas (1986-90) and Cesar Gaviria Trujillo (1990-94) sought to end the long-running armed disturbance by the leftist guerillas, narcotics traffickers, and paramilitary groups who were controlling many parts of Colombia. Their attempts to use peaceful means - including indirect bargaining, changes to the constitution to increase democracy, and modifications in the judicial system to make it more effective in suppressing the country's lawbreaking elements - marked a strategic break with the government's 150-year reliance on force.

"For over forty years, Latin American Politics and Development has kept instructors and students abreast of current affairs and changes in Latin America. Now in its tenth edition, this authoritative yet accessible introduction has been updated throughout. Organized on a country-by-country basis, Latin American Politics and Development offers instructors maximum flexibility in organizing courses. Revisions to the Tenth Edition include: An updated theoretical framework to explain changes in the region, including discussions of electoral systems and political actors. Discussions on presidential, parliamentary, and municipal election cycles throughout the region from 2017 through early 2022. Coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Examination on the regional decline in democratic norms and practices. A look at the impact of the Trump administration on regional relations, including the decline in democracy. Updates on race, indigenous groups, women, Afro-Latin Americans, contemporary social movements, religious and other non-elite groups"--

This book is used as an introductory text in courses or seminars in Latin American politics, Latin American development, comparative politics, Third World politics, transitions to democracy, globalization, politics of developing areas, and social change.

"For over thirty years, Latin American Politics and Development has kept instructors and students abreast of current affairs and changes in Latin America. Now in its ninth edition, this definitive text has been updated throughout and features contributions from experts in the field, including twenty new and revised chapters on Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. The fully updated foundational section includes new chapters on political economy and U.S.-Latin American relations and covers the changing context of Latin American politics, the pattern of historical development, political culture, interest groups and political parties, government machinery, the role of the state and public policy, and the struggle for democracy. In addition to detailed country-by-country chapters, Latin American Politics and Development provides a comprehensive regional overview"--

"For over thirty years Latin American Politics and Development has kept instructors and students abreast of current affairs in Latin America. Now in its eighth edition, this definitive text has been updated throughout and features contributions from experts in the field, including twenty entirely new chapters on Central America and the Caribbean, and South America. The new material addresses Venezuela after the death of Hugh Chz, Mexico and the continuing drug war, Cuba as Ra