colombia

All of this implies that if the FARC and maybe the ELN do decide to demobilize, though this will be a good thing, the country’s problems will be far from over. Like the drug economy, Colombia’s left-wing insurgency is an outcome of the style of indirect rule that spawns violence and illegality in the periph -ery. Indeed, the demobilization of... See more

Indeed, the famous drug lord Pablo Escobar started his criminal career smuggling cigarettes and other consumer goods before switching to cocaine. Thus the system of governance creates a comparative advantage for criminality, perhaps the main factor that made Co -lombia a global center of drug trafficking.

These examples show that in different contexts Colombian politicians apply different standards and rules of behavior. Sometimes, when nationally advocating for sound economic policy or the Vic -tims’ Law, they appeal to universal principles. At other times, when involved in peripheral politics, they apply much more parochial standards. That people... See more