Criminal Governance of Gold Mining in the Bajo Cauca Region and the Municipality of Buriticá, Antioquia

Abstract

Criminal governance in Colombia has permeated almost all spheres of society, understood as the imposition of norms or rules on different social, economic, and political dimensions of a given community by a violent non‑state organization. This article aims to understand the forms of regulation and governance that the different illegal armed groups exert over the actors involved in gold mining in Bajo Cauca and Buriticá, Antioquia. From a qualitative research perspective, semi‑structured interviews were carried out with more than seventy people, a review of specialized literature, press, and judicial documents was conducted, among others. One of the most important findings and contributions is the evident co‑optation of institutional functions, which the State or its agents have not had the capacity to cover satisfactorily. This has generated a relationship between the State and criminal actors in the configuration of regional orders, using coercion and violence to the detriment of the living conditions of the communities, which somehow legitimize such actions due to the economic returns that can be achieved.