Publication: Entre seguridad humana y estatal: ¿ofrece la Unión Europea una respuesta coherente a los desafíos de seguridad en Centroamérica, Colombia y Venezuela?
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Publication Date
2021
Authors
Gratius, Susanne
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Universidad de Los Andes
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Abstract
Centroamérica, Colombia y Venezuela enfrentan importantes desafíos de seguridad. Pese al discurso de seguridad humana en su política hacia América Latina, la Unión Europea (UE) ha tenido aproximaciones diferentes a los tres conflictos: desde el nexo seguridad-desarrollo en Centroamérica y un compromiso de cooperación combinado con la “securitización” del conflicto en Colombia, hasta una política de sanciones y diplomacia en Venezuela. Metodología: mediante una perspectiva comparada y un marco analítico común de análisis de contenido cualitativo, el artículo plantea la pregunta: ¿qué concepto de seguridad, estatal o humana, está detrás de las políticas de la UE hacia estos países y con qué grado de coherencia se implementa? Conclusiones: se demuestra que la UE hace un manejo poco coherente del nexo seguridad-desarrollo hacia los países seleccionados debido a inconsistencias internas y externas, en este caso sobre todo de cara a EE. UU. como principal donante de la región y “socio” transatlántico. Originalidad: el artículo deconstruye la imagen de la UE como socio de desarrollo comprometido con la seguridad humana. Aunque la política de la UE sigue estando más enfocada en afrontar las causas como la desigualdad y la pobreza que las consecuencias de la inseguridad, la política del nexo seguridad-desarrollo refleja una cierta securitización del desarrollo a la hora de cooperar con países en conflicto y Estados frágiles considerados potenciales “amenazas” a la seguridad, como Colombia o Venezuela.
Central America, Colombia and Venezuela face important security challenges. Despite its rhetoric about the importance of human security, the EU applies different policies to the three conflicts: a securitydevelopment nexus in Central America, a combination of donor engagement and “securitization” in Colombia and a mixture of sanctions and diplomacy in Venezuela. Employing a comparative approach based on a common methodological framework, this article sets out to determine which EU concept of security – State or human-focused –is applied to each conflict and assess its degree of coherence. Methodology: Basing itself on a qualitative content analysis, the article addresses the following question: to what extent does State or human security govern the EU´s respective policies towards these countries and how consistent are they? Conclusions: The article finds that, despite its official discourse, the EU´s securitydevelopment nexus is not a coherent policy and its relationship with the United States, its transatlantic “partner” and the region’s main donor, are mainly responsible for that policy´s internal and external inconsistencies. Originality: The article questions the EU’s image as a soft power and development partner. Although the EU continues to deal with the causes of insecurity, like inequality and poverty, rather than its consequences, its development-security nexus tends to “securitize” development, particularly in countries, like Colombia and Venezuela, which, due to their armed conflicts and fragile States, are regarded as “security threats.”
Central America, Colombia and Venezuela face important security challenges. Despite its rhetoric about the importance of human security, the EU applies different policies to the three conflicts: a securitydevelopment nexus in Central America, a combination of donor engagement and “securitization” in Colombia and a mixture of sanctions and diplomacy in Venezuela. Employing a comparative approach based on a common methodological framework, this article sets out to determine which EU concept of security – State or human-focused –is applied to each conflict and assess its degree of coherence. Methodology: Basing itself on a qualitative content analysis, the article addresses the following question: to what extent does State or human security govern the EU´s respective policies towards these countries and how consistent are they? Conclusions: The article finds that, despite its official discourse, the EU´s securitydevelopment nexus is not a coherent policy and its relationship with the United States, its transatlantic “partner” and the region’s main donor, are mainly responsible for that policy´s internal and external inconsistencies. Originality: The article questions the EU’s image as a soft power and development partner. Although the EU continues to deal with the causes of insecurity, like inequality and poverty, rather than its consequences, its development-security nexus tends to “securitize” development, particularly in countries, like Colombia and Venezuela, which, due to their armed conflicts and fragile States, are regarded as “security threats.”