Parallel Governance: The Challenge of the Expansion of Irregular Groups in Colombia

July 2026 American Committee

In Colombia, the security landscape has experienced an alarming deterioration, in which the presence of irregular armed groups no longer responds solely to long-standing ideological disputes, but rather to an aggressive territorial expansion closely linked to drug trafficking. At the beginning of 2026, we have observed that these groups have managed to consolidate forms of parallel governance in areas where the state has become little more than a bystander, using control over resources such as illicit mining and drug trafficking to finance an arsenal that, on multiple occasions, matches or even surpasses that of official institutions.
The absence of a clear and robust security plan and strategy by the government of Gustavo Petro to confront this phenomenon has instead allowed for an intensification of hostilities, multiplying conflict hotspots and undermining dialogue processes. The tactics of these groups have evolved toward greater sophistication and technological advancement, including the use of social media and diverse strategies to instill fear, turning civilian communities into the primary targets of a conflict that seeks above all to secure strategic corridors and economic rents, far outweighing any claim to legitimate political objectives. In this context, Gustavo Petro’s so-called “total peace” has proven to be a failure, leaving Colombia in a state of deep uncertainty and fear, with entire departments at the mercy of these actors, who continue to gain territory, power, and financial resources, fueling the conflict for decades to come.
For IUSY, the challenge Colombia will face in the coming years lies in dismantling not only the armed wing of these organizations, but also the complex systems of money laundering and logistical support that allow them to regenerate and persist. Without a comprehensive approach that prioritizes social investment in besieged territories, any security or peace strategy will remain insufficient.