Rebels-Turned-Narcos? The FARC-EP’s Political Involvement in Colombia’s Cocaine Economy
| Main author: | Gutiérrez D, José Antonio |
|---|---|
| Other authors: | Thomson, Frances |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Online access: |
Click here to view record |
| id |
eprints-33472 |
|---|---|
| recordtype |
eprints |
| institution |
SOAS, University of London |
| collection |
SOAS Research Online |
| language |
English |
| language_search |
English |
| topic |
H Social Sciences J Political Science |
| description |
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. |
| format |
Journal Article |
| author |
Gutiérrez D, José Antonio |
| author_facet |
Gutiérrez D, José Antonio Thomson, Frances |
| authorStr |
Gutiérrez D, José Antonio |
| author_letter |
Gutiérrez D, José Antonio |
| author2 |
Thomson, Frances |
| author2Str |
Thomson, Frances |
| title |
Rebels-Turned-Narcos? The FARC-EP’s Political Involvement in Colombia’s Cocaine Economy |
| publisher |
Taylor and Francis |
| publishDate |
2020 |
| url |
https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/33472/
|