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September 10, 2010
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Anastasia Moloney

Anastasia Moloney is a British freelance journalist based in the Colombian capital, Bogota, for the last four years. She has lectured on U.S. foreign policy in Latin America at the Javeriana University in  Bogota. Her work about Colombian politics, education, human rights and culture has appeared in The London Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Times Higher Education Supplement and The Times Educational Supplement, among other publications.

Articles written by Anastasia Moloney

Colombia Poised to Vote for Continuity

By Anastasia Moloney 18 Jun 2010 | World Politics Review BOGOTÁ -- Barring a major surprise, Juan Manuel Santos, former defense minister and heir-apparent to the hardline polices of outgoing conservative President Alvaro Uribe, is poised to become the next Colombian president, with the latest polls giving him a seemingly insurmountable lead over his rival, Antanus Mockus. Santos' greatest challenge seems to be, not Sunday's voting, but what comes after.

Colombia Election Goes Down to the Wire

By Anastasia Moloney 28 May 2010 | World Politics Review BOGOTA, Colombia -- Colombians will head to the polls on Sunday, in what has unexpectedly become an election that is too close to call. Both front-runners promise to continue outgoing conservative President Alvaro Uribe hard-line security policy. But the mood has changed in a country where unchecked corruption, rising unemployment, health care and education have now replaced rebel violence as the top concerns among voters.

Strategic Posture Review: Colombia

By Anastasia Moloney 16 Dec 2009 | World Politics Review During the last five decades, Colombia's foreign, defense and strategic priorities have been driven and determined by the country's internal armed conflict, with the "War on Drugs" becoming the dominant paradigm from the 1980s onwards. This, in turn, has defined Colombia's relations with Latin America -- particularly, in recent years, with its Andean neighbors, Ecuador and Venezuela -- as well as its relationship with the United States and Europe.

Press Freedom: Media Reform Gets Personal in Argentina

By Anastasia Moloney 17 Sep 2009 | World Politics Review When 200 tax inspectors made a surprise visit last week to the editorial offices of Clarin, one of Latin America's largest newspaper and cable TV companies, it was clear that the simmering tensions between the media giant and Argentine President Cristina Fernandez had reached new heights. The incident comes at a time when Argentina's Congress is debating Fernandez's controversial media-reform bill.

In Colombia, U.S. Downturn Decreases Remittances

By Anastasia Moloney 01 Jun 2009 | World Politics Review PEREIRA, Colombia -- Most Colombians either have relatives or know of someone working abroad. The money these emigrants send back home allows millions of families to remain above the poverty line. Now, as a result of the U.S. recession, remittance flows to Colombia have fallen, and the number of Colombians returning home has risen, creating ripple effects across the region.

Human Rights Probe Continues to Taint Colombian Army

By Anastasia Moloney 18 May 2009 | World Politics Review BOGOTÁ, Colombia -- Over 400 members of Colombia's armed forces have been detained for allegedly taking part in extrajudicial killings of civilians in the last two years. The ongoing probe, known locally as the "false positives" scandal, involves charges that security forces murdered civilians and then passed them off as guerrillas killed in combat in order to inflate rebel body counts.

U.S. Air Base Thorny Issue for Colombia

By Anastasia Moloney 27 Apr 2009 | World Politics Review BOGOTÁ, Colombia -- With a U.S military air base in the Ecuadorian coastal city of Manta scheduled to be shut down later this year, it looks increasingly likely that Colombia will step in as a new host for U.S. military assets in the region. But the potential move has raised controversy in Bogotá, and threatens to strain already fraught relations with Colombia's neighbors, Venezuela and Ecuador.

Photo Feature: The FARC's Last Stand

By Anastasia Moloney 31 Mar 2009 | World Politics Review While reporting her WPR feature story, The FARC's Last Stand, Anastasia Moloney visited La Macarena, a mountainous jungle region in Colombia's southern province of Meta. The rebel guerillas have turned the difficult terrain into their final stronghold in their efforts to withstand Colombia's increasingly effective counterinsurgency campaign.

The FARC's Last Stand

By Anastasia Moloney 31 Mar 2009 | World Politics Review Colombia's southern provinces are the front line in the U.S.-backed counterinsurgency campaign against the FARC, the site of daily clashes between government troops and rebel guerrillas.  It is here, in the jungle that serves as a strategic corridor, that Colombia's largest guerrilla group clings to its last stronghold.

Colombian General: Mexico's Drug Wars 'Will Intensify'

By Anastasia Moloney 17 Mar 2009 | World Politics Review BOGOTÁ, Colombia -- The drug wars in Mexico "will intensify," says the head of Colombia's anti-narcotics police, Gen. Álvaro Caro. "It's going to get worse," Caro said during an exclusive interview about the wave of drug violence in Mexico. "The Mexican cartels are very structured, well armed and organized, and have the power to corrupt." Caro called the violence "the price you pay for taking on the cartels."

FARC's Motives for Hostage Release Remain Unclear

By Anastasia Moloney 03 Feb 2009 | World Politics Review BOGOTÁ, Colombia -- The release of four hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia over the weekend has raised much speculation about the group's motives. The freeing is the first unilateral handover in almost a year. The government claims it's a clear sign that the guerrillas are sinking under the pressure of daily military offensives, while FARC is billing the release as a goodwill gesture.

The Challenge of South America's Populist Left

By Anastasia Moloney 12 Jan 2009 | World Politics Review Presidents Hugo Chávez, Rafael Correa and Evo Morales have become close allies who often display a united front when it comes to disputes with the U.S. But they do not represent a coherent movement. For all the beliefs they share in principle, their priorities and versions of the populist left differ in practice.

Venezuela Elections Could Prove Costly for Chávez

By Anastasia Moloney 21 Nov 2008 | World Politics Review BOGOTÁ, Colombia -- Venezuelans will take to the polling stations over the weekend in nationwide elections that are being seen as a litmus test for the future of President Hugo Chávez and a golden opportunity for the opposition to regain its presence in local government. The local elections are the first real test of Chávez's popularity following his narrow defeat in a referendum on constitutional reform last December. And while the opposition's projected gains might seem modest, they would represent major victories, both politically and symbolically.

Soacha Killings Highlight Colombian Human Rights Concerns

By Anastasia Moloney 14 Nov 2008 | World Politics Review BOGOTÁ, Colombia -- An uncomfortable silence filled the officers' mess at the Macarena military base in southern Colombia as the lunchtime news broadcast the purge of 27 high-ranking army officials. "That's not going to be the end of it," said one army colonel as he shook his head in disbelief. He was right. Several days later, Colombia's veteran top army commander, Gen. Mario Montoya, resigned. The historic army purge signals a rare admission by the government that Colombia does indeed have a human rights problem.

Concern Over Venezuela's Russian Arms Purchases Could Be Misplaced

By Anastasia Moloney 29 Oct 2008 | World Politics Review BOGOTÁ, Colombia -- Venezuela's strengthening military and diplomatic ties with Russia have led to alarmist headlines announcing the return of a Cold War standoff, and raising questions about the impact of Hugo Chávez's arms shopping spree on the regional balance of power. But more alarming than Chávez's big ticket purchases is the arrival in Venezuela of 100,000 Russian Kalashnikov assault rifles two years ago, as well as Chávez's reported plans to build a factory to produce his own Kalashnikov line.

Colombia's Uribe at Six Years: A Positive, but Fragile, Legacy

By Anastasia Moloney 21 Aug 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive SAN JOSÉ DEL GUAVIARE, Colombia -- The heavy losses suffered by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have made Colombian President Álvaro Uribe the most popular leader in this country's history as he marks six years in office. Unlike other leaders in Latin America, Uribe's populist message is about improving security, not lifting up the poor. But threats to Uribe's legacy remain in the form of economic problems and the possibility that he will damage the country's democracy in pursuit of a third term.

Uribe, Chávez Attempt to Turn the Page on Colombia-Venezuela Relations

By Anastasia Moloney 14 Jul 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive BOGOTÁ, Colombia -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and his Colombian counterpart, Álvaro Uribe, have agreed to restore relations and strengthen bilateral trade between their two countries, bringing an end to months of bitter feuds between the two leaders. "As of now, a new era begins with Colombia. We decided to completely turn the page. The storm has passed," Chávez told reporters Friday, after hosting a private one-day meeting with Uribe at one of the world's largest oil refineries in Punto Fijo, Venezuela.

McCain Trip Aimed at Highlighting Latin America in U.S.-Focused Campaign

By Anastasia Moloney 07 Jul 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive BOGOTÁ, Colombia -- Between the time that Sen. John McCain's campaign jet took off from Cartagena and landed in Mexico City on July 2, the Colombian military pulled off a daring rescue mission that led to the liberation of 15 hostages. The news of the hostage release overshadowed McCain's three-day visit to Colombia and Mexico that aimed to shore up his Hispanic support and underscore his foreign policy experience. Nonetheless, McCain's unusual tour of the region was particularly significant for Colombia.

After Desertions, Demise of Leaders, Colombia's FARC Appears in Decline

By Anastasia Moloney 13 Jun 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive BOGOTÁ, Colombia -- As the oldest guerrilla insurgency in Latin America, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, celebrates its 44th anniversary, the group is at a critical juncture following the death of its leader and the desertion of thousands of its fighters. The death last month of Manuel Marulanda, FARC's founder and iconic leader, together with rising defections from rebel ranks have raised questions about whether the group is in an irreversible decline.

Arrest of Colombian President's Cousin Widens 'Para-Politics' Scandal

By Anastasia Moloney 28 Apr 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive BOGOTÁ, Colombia -- The arrest of Colombian President Álvaro Uribe's cousin and political ally, Mario Uribe, on charges of conspiring with the country's paramilitary groups, brings the country's so-called "para-politics" scandal closer to the president's inner circle. Mario Uribe's arrest on April 22 and the ever-growing domestic scandal that links politicians with outlawed right-wing paramilitary groups is being seen as the most serious crisis facing President Uribe since he first came to power in 2002.