Plan Colombia: una Medida para Mitigar la Violencia y Luchar Contra el Tráfico de Drogas en el Hemisferio Occidental

Abstract

This text addresses the concept of non-intervention as a legal principle and its development in the Latin American context. At the beginning interfering in the affairs of other countries was considered acceptable and valid. In the 19th century, conceptions emerged in Europe that distinguished between lawful and unlawful interventions, while in Latin America, doctrines were formulated in opposition to these practices. In 1933, the principle of non-intervention was established in the Convention on the Rights and Duties of States, and later reaffirmed in the Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace in 1936. This principle prohibits a state from intervening in the internal or external affairs of another state, safeguarding its sovereignty, freedom, and self-determination.The principle of non-intervention was recognized in the inter-American system, and resolutions were issued to strengthen it. It was also included in the Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS) in 1948. The text addresses the background of the Plan Colombia, in which the United States approved assistance to combat drug trafficking and mitigate violence in Colombia. However, during the implementation of the plan, situations arose that contravened the principle of non-intervention. The United States had geopolitical and economic interests in Colombia, which led to significant intervention, affecting human rights. The development of the concept of non-intervention as a legal principle is explored, as well as the disregard for this principle in the adoption of the plan.