Colombian women and U.S. servicemen: Encounters and experiences from Melgar, Colombia

More than 50 years of armed conflict in Colombia have permeated the entire
society with a culture of violence and war, which have left few citizens
untouched. A crucial decision in the history of the conflict was to invite U.S.
to take part in the Colombian war. What did this mean at local and
interpersonal levels? This study – the first scholarly treatment of transnational
relationships between Colombian women and U.S. servicemen – considers the
case of Melgar, the location of two Colombian military bases with a permanent
presence of U.S. military personnel, to explore through locals’ narratives the
implications of U.S. intervention in the conflict on the daily lives of Colombian
women. It addresses this topic by focusing on the sexual and/or romantic
relationships that have developed between local women and U.S. servicemen in
relation with notions and practices of gender, sexuality, race, nationality and
class.