Mind the Darien Gap
Abstract
This thesis has a geopolitical focus, establishing U.S. interests and indigenous protectionism as factors that explain why the Darien Gap remains undeveloped. An analysis of U.S. influence on the development of the Darien Gap establishes a correlation between U.S. interests and the progress of constructing the Pan-American Highway and railroad across time and space. Heightened U.S. interest was influenced by the presence of extra-hemispheric threat in the Western Hemisphere and the timing correlated with the constructions progression and obstruction. The lack of extra-hemispheric threat caused the decline of U.S. support for the infrastructure projects that would have otherwise developed the Darien Gap and gave political space and maneuverability for Panamanian indigenous groups to exert their political pressure and prevent the development of the Darien Gap. The research uncovers the amount of political power the Panamanian indigenous groups have in preventing infrastructure developments. In the end, the thesis proves these two hypotheses to be true: U.S. interest in the region and the Panamanian indigenous communities political power have prevented the development of infrastructure in the Darien Gap.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1150712
Entities
People
- Christian Ocasio
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School