Legitimation of legal power in armed conflicts in Colombia

Abstract

The notion of the state is intrinsically related to the factual impression of justice it provides to its citizens. This will serve as the critical defining point in a binary perception of the state's power domain. Consequently, failures within the framework of administration concerning the care and protection of legitimacy, in line with its role as the main actor in managing and administering violence, are factors that will mark a stance justifying the pursuit of justice through violence and intimidation as direct sources of criminality. As a result of these violations of the perception of the state, a paradigm emerges in regions most affected by violence and armed conflict, where the internal war is questioned due to state absence. Since 2016, there has been a noted interest in protecting those who have lived through armed conflicts, with a peace agreement being signed with an armed group, the referendum, among other measures. However, these are merely palliative measures addressing the underlying problem of criminality in Colombia, as well as the role of the state and justice.