Oceanic Expansionism: The Underwater Power

Expansionismo Oceânico: O Poder Submerso

Abstract

The present study examines the shift in the centrality of border conflicts from the terrestrial to the maritime domain in the post-World War II period, a phenomenon driven by the claim to Exclusive Economic Zones and the quest for natural resources. The analysis highlights the hegemonic reluctance of the United States to submit to permanent international arbitration concerning the Law of the Sea, preferring the maintenance of sovereignty via bilateral agreements to avoid the political risk of adverse decisions. Challenging the deterritorialization hypothesis in the era of globalization, it is argued that the expansion of oceanic limits represents a “resurrection” of borders, establishing a new mode of capital accumulation and territorialization in “deep worlds.” Finally, the strategic importance of the “Blue Amazon” (Amazônia Azul) for Brazil is contextualized, defining it not merely as a source of oil and gas reserves, but as a space demanding complex governance that integrates economic, social, and environmental vectors in the management of national sovereignty over the continental shelf.

Keywords: Ocean Geopolitics, Blue Amazon, Territorialization.

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