Organised Crime during the Pandemic
In Colombia, organised crime organisations made the case that not only is the State ineffective at protecting citizens, but also not needed.
The signing of the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2016 raised hopes of long-lasting peace in Colombia after a decades-long conflict.
Yet, the pandemic has provided a window of opportunity for organised crime organisations to bolster their legitimacy
In the southwestern port city of Tumaco near the Colombian border with Ecuador, several armed groups, including ex-FARC dissidents have a permanent presence in low-income neighbourhoods.
Soon after COVID-19 hit Colombia, the ‘Oliver Sinister Front’ announced a curfew between the hours of 8pm and 6am. A curfew accompanied by ‘sanctions’ for businesses that defied the orders of the group. With it came the explicit threat for those who ‘do not comply’ of becoming ‘military targets’.
After decades of civil war and drug trafficking conflicts, Colombia has made some security improvements across the country.
In its final report published over the summer, The Comisión de la Verd…