The Pink Tide that first pulled politics leftward throughout much of Latin America in the 2000s took a bit longer to reach Colombia. Dominated for decades by a right-wing ruling class that accepted massive US military aid to carry out bloody campaigns against armed left-wing rebels, coca farmers, and many, many civilians, Colombia remained what Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez once called the "unsinkable aircraft carrier" for US interests in Latin America at a time when many neighboring countries launched bids for national autonomy and progressive governance.
