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Transiciones entre economías (i)lícitas y regulaciones armadas en el posacuerdo
[Il(licit) transitions: coca, cattle ranching, and gold mining in Colombia’s Amazonian post-accord]

Author

Listed:
  • Mauricio Velásquez

    (Universidad de los Andes)

  • Beatriz Irene Ramos

    (Universidad de los Andes)

  • María Alejandra Vélez

    (Universidad de los Andes)

  • Diana Millan-Orduz

    (Universidad de los Andes)

  • Vanesa Estefanía Ospina-Ramírez

    (Universidad de los Andes)

Abstract

Las economías rurales en regiones de frontera en muchos países del sur global comparten configuraciones institucionales donde se superponen economías legales e ilegales, actores armados no estatales y formas frágiles o selectivas de presencia estatal. Este es el caso en muchas regiones de Colombia, donde economías rurales históricamente se han desarrollado y transformado bajo los órdenes sociales establecidos en el contexto del conflicto armado. Este artículo examina las transiciones entre coca, ganadería y minería de oro en dos municipios ubicados en el arco de deforestación Amazónico—Puerto Guzmán (Putumayo), y Vista Hermosa (Meta)— donde la coca ha perdido centralidad económica tras procesos de desconcentración después del Acuerdo de Paz con las FARC-EP. Con base en una metodología mixta que combina análisis geoespacial, entrevistas, cartografía social y trabajo de campo, mostramos que la transición de la coca hacia la ganadería y la minería de oro se acompaña de regulaciones armadas que reconfiguran tierra, capital y trabajo, y profundizan la deforestación. El argumento central es que estas transiciones no suponen una salida del conflicto ni una formalización económica, sino la aparición de nuevas formas de gobernanza criminal que regulan actividades económicas en zonas grises de legalidad. Estas formas se apoyan en la herencia de las infraestructuras del conflicto armado y en mecanismos de legitimación social, permitiendo a actores armados regular actividades en apariencia lícitas. Dialogando con los conceptos de economías grises y criminal politics, el artículo muestra cómo estas configuraciones híbridas profundizan la informalidad económica en el territorio y agravan la deforestación, revelando los límites del posacuerdo como escenario de transición hacia el orden estatal.

Suggested Citation

  • Mauricio Velásquez & Beatriz Irene Ramos & María Alejandra Vélez & Diana Millan-Orduz & Vanesa Estefanía Ospina-Ramírez, 2025. "Transiciones entre economías (i)lícitas y regulaciones armadas en el posacuerdo [Il(licit) transitions: coca, cattle ranching, and gold mining in Colombia’s Amazonian post-accord]," Documentos CEDE 2025-32, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    • Handle: RePEc:col:000089:021634
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mounu Prem & Juan F. Vargas & Daniel Mejía, 2023. "The Rise and Persistence of Illegal Crops: Evidence from a Naive Policy Announcement," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 105(2), pages 344-358, March.
    2. Velez, Maria & Rueda, Ximena & Henao, Juan Pablo & Monroy, Dayron & Tobin, Danny & Maldonado, Jorge Higinio & Pfaff, Alexander, 2024. "Preferences of Small-Scale Gold Miners related to Formalization: first steps toward sustainable mining supply chains in Colombia," EfD Discussion Paper 24-5, Environment for Development, University of Gothenburg.
    3. Ramos Beatriz & Jean Paul Benavides & María Alejandra Vélez & Gilda Jauregui & David Restrepo, 2023. "Control social de la coca: lecciones del Trópico de Cochabamba (Bolivia) para Colombia," Documentos de trabajo 1/2023, Instituto de Investigaciones Socio-Económicas (IISEC), Universidad Católica Boliviana.
    4. Lucas Mar√≠n Llanes & Manuel Fern√°ndez Sierra & Mar√≠a Alejandra V√©lez Lesmes & Eduard Mart√≠nez Gonz√°lez & Paulo Murillo Sandoval, 2024. "Coca-Based Local Growth and Its Socio-Economic Impact in Colombia," Documentos CEDE 21186, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment
    • Q23 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Forestry
    • Q33 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Resource Booms (Dutch Disease)
    • Q34 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Natural Resources and Domestic and International Conflicts
    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns

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