Territorial control in the context of the illicit exploitation of gold deposits in Antioquia (2015-2025)

Abstract

In Colombia illegal gold extraction is among the most significant criminal economies, as it bankrolls unlawful armed structures, reshapes territorial orders, and undermines the State’s regulatory capacity. This paper analyzes how criminal governance tied to this activity shaped territorial control in Antioquia between 2015 and 2025, and discusses its implications for national security. Drawing on official reports, scholarship, and territorial data, the findings indicate that illegal gold exploitation moves past the extractive sphere and operates as a device of social, economic, and coercive regulation: through it, armed groups restrict movement, arbitrate disputes, and dictate rules of conduct, with particular intensity in Bajo Cauca and Northeastern Antioquia. The study argues that such arrangements erode State sovereignty, aggravate institutional weakness and socio-environmental conflicts, and raise challenges regarding territorial control, inter-institutional coordination, and the protection of communities and ecosystems.