Drug-Trafficking in Colombia: The New Civil War Against Democracy and Peacebuilding

Abstract

Drug-trafficking in Colombia has been a widely researched phenomenon, especially now, as the country undergoes a transition process with its older guerrilla. Now more than ever it is fundamental to examine how drug-trafficking organizations violent activities affect the consolidation of peace. This article considers different approaches to study violence derived from drug-trafficking, in order to advance towards the objectives of transitional justice. For that matter, this work is based on the idea that drug-trafficking directly generates and reproduces violence which is fueled by the structural violence present in the Colombian context. My thesis is that this phenomenon deters non-repetition guarantees and weakens democracy, which is why there will be three main arguments presented that will revolve around the lack of consensus and the implications of considering drug wars as civil wars, how decisions related to the conceptual apprehension limit the competence of international humanitarian law, and the need for holistic strategies capable of facing drug-trafficking’s political and violent power. Later, alternatives will be explored around the possibilities that each argument offers, as well as which aspects could contribute to a more appropriate approach to combat drug-trafficking. Lastly, I will defend why implementing bottom-up oriented actions can advance towards transitional justice’s intermediate and final objectives, as it is the only alternative that escapes fatalist, utopian or interventionist scenarios.

Detection dogs fighting transnational narcotraffic: performance and challenges under real customs scenario in Brazil

“…Drug trafficking is a highly profitable business with, in general, a strong political and economic influence, frequently involving armed conflicts, violence against citizens, and the involvement of other illegal organizations. It also involves actions against Police and Drug Trafficking Control Systems and attempts to maintain control over the drug trafficking routes, as evidenced in Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil ( 7 ). Cocaine trafficking is the most violent business associated with the illicit drug trade, which generally includes the corruption of government agents ( 8 ).…”