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Rebels-Turned-Narcos? The FARC-EP’s Political Involvement in Colombia’s Cocaine Economy

Gutiérrez D, José Antonio; Thomson, Frances

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Authors

José Antonio Gutiérrez D

Frances Thomson



Abstract

According to the ‘rebels-turned-narcos’ premise, increasing involve- ment in the illicit drug industry causes insurgent groups to lose sight of their political aims, as they shift their focus to profit-making. The (former) Colombian rebel group, the FARC-EP, became a paragon for this idea. Drawing on primary research, we argue that the FARC-EP’s involvement in the illicit drug economy was itself political. Their involvement included governance activities, which are by their very nature political. Furthermore, these activities formed part of the FARC-EP’s political project, aimed at ensuring the reproduction of the peasant smallholder economy. Our argument challenges the reb- els-turned-narcos premise more broadly by showing why involve- ment in the illicit drug economy, on its own, is insufficient evidence to posit the depoliticization of an insurgent group.

Citation

Gutiérrez D, J. A., & Thomson, F. (2020). Rebels-Turned-Narcos? The FARC-EP’s Political Involvement in Colombia’s Cocaine Economy. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 44(1), 26-51. https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610x.2020.1793456

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jun 27, 2020
Online Publication Date Jul 15, 2020
Publication Date Jul 15, 2020
Deposit Date Sep 23, 2020
Publicly Available Date Sep 23, 2020
Journal Studies in Conflict and Terrorism
Print ISSN 1057-610X
Electronic ISSN 1521-0731
Publisher Taylor and Francis Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 44
Issue 1
Pages 26-51
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610x.2020.1793456
Keywords illicit drugs; armed insurgency; Colombia; coca/cocaine; FARC-EP; rebel governance

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