The United States as a natural and as a dangerous ally of New Granada (1810-1865)

Abstract

From the very dawn of the Neogranadian revolution, the United States of America was perceived as a natural ally of the new polity, a great nation made up of fellow Americans as well as fellow republicans. This explains why, when faced with various aggressions inflicted by French and British nationals and officials, the first Mosquera administration (1845-1849) made attempts to engage the US government in an ever more solidary diplomatic action. This was ostensibly achieved in 1848, when after intense lobbying, Neogranadian diplomats obtained a bi-national treaty, as well as a major contract with a US company for the construction of a cart-way and a railroad across the Panama isthmus (by then a province of Nueva Granada). Significantly, these efforts only came to fruition when the gold rush struck in California, so that Panama suddenly became a passageway of vital importance. However, the alliance, as it was widely perceived in Nueva Granada, received a major blow in 1856, when a popular street riot in the Isthmus was used in the US as the pretext for imperialistic attitudes. This caused a brief bout of anti-Yankee sentiment in the Bogotá press and amongst some cadres in government. Quite soon, however, the Liberal Party reassumed the old banners of procuring the goodwill and diplomatic favour of the northern colossus.