Abstract

BEDOYA, J. Jairo; RIOS, Juan-Esteban  and  ARREDONDO, Andrés. Extortion and coercion in Medellín, Colombia. URVIO [online]. 2021, n.29, pp.96-107. ISSN 1390-4299.  https://doi.org/10.17141/urvio.29.2021.4413.

Despite the drastic reduction in the number of homicides in Medellin (from 6500 in 1991 to 591 in 2019) which has been categorized as social urbanism and internationally highlighted as a model, the other forms of crime do not relent. Violence intended for extortion is one of the most significant challenges to the development of cities besieged by mafias, such as Medellin. Relying on the empirical findings and intermediate analytical categories of three recent field investigations on urban extortion, this article introduces a conceptual perspective to identify how illicit and legal activities are amalgamated with each other, and with local dynamics. Violent protection, inherited from the confrontation of the Medellin drug cartel with the Colombian State, is strengthened by coercion intended for extortion. This systematic and widespread form of violence has allowed the amalgamation of the legal with the illegal in a growing number of social dimensions.

Keywords : captive environments; coercion; Colombia; mafia violence; violent protection.

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