| dc.description.abstract | In 2016, the agreement for the cessation of the conflict and the establishment
of a sustainable and long-lasting peace was reached between the Colombian
National Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia –
People’s Army (FARC), one of the largest insurgent groups in the country,
after more than fifty years of conflict. Based on the above, the chapter
presents an overview of the characteristics of these two actors: it analyzes
the role of the State and the FARC as the main actors in the conflict, without
ignoring the fact that other protagonists emerged in this prolonged war.
First, the chapter addresses the different definitions and conceptual
contributions of the state, where the state is recognized as having the
legitimate monopoly of violence and force. This is emphasized in the
discussions of classical authors and specialists on the subject, where the
state is identified as one of the main actors in the Colombian conflict. It is
evident that marginalization and exclusion have determined elements in the
development and prolongation of the conflict. In addition, this chapter
presents an analysis of the meaning of insurgency, discussing concepts from
different lenses, which allows for a general mention of the main movements in
Latin America. Colombia, in particular, witnessed the emergence of social
51 Decolonizing Politics and Theories from the Abya Yala
movements with defined political traits and ideology, armed groups inspired
by the socialist narrative and based on the internal and limiting narratives of
the country’s own political system, as detailed in the text. Lastly, the chapter
provides a synthesis of the conflict in Colombia, where socio-political and
economic uncertainties form important elements to further study the
inefficiency of the government and institutions. | |
