Peace Negotiations with Organized Crime: the Case of Medellín, Colombia

This panel will discuss the results of a research lead by Fundación Ideas para la Paz that highlights several challenges in the so called “Urban Peace Negotiations” with organized crime in Medellín, the second largest and prosperous city in Colombia. Colombia’s National Government is trying to implement a negotiation policy with different kind of actors, including conventional actors of armed conflicts as well as organized crime in three cities. We will talk about evolution of lethal violence in Medellín (since Pablo Escobar), how it shaped problematic issues regarding criminal governance nowadays and necessary legal and constitutional framework to move forward in the “Urban Peace Negotiations” mentioned.

Speakers

Felipe Botero, Coordinator for Colombia, GI-TOC. He has extensive academic and professional experience in peace building, DDR, Human Rights, citizen security, and civic participation.

Gina Cabarcas Maciá, Director, Laboratorio de Justicia. Expert in transitional justice and investigation of international crimes.

Juanita Durán, Laboratorio de Justicia y Política Criminal

Andrés Preciado, Ideas for Peace Foundation