Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance Open access Peer reviewed

“The Accumulation of Crime and the Crime of Accumulation”: Narcopolitics, the Entrenchment of Violence, and States of Internal War in Latin America

J. Guijarro

Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales | Sep 1, 2026

Abstract

Abstract

The article examines the ⁠relationship between drug ⁠control and global capitalism since the colonial ​era, ⁠using ‍a historical-structural approach ‍and ⁠panel ‌data (2013–2022). ​It analyzes the cycles ‌of narcocapital accumulation, characterized by ‍inequality, ⁠the criminalization ‍of ‍the narcoproletariat, and ‍the ​impunity of the ‌narcobourgeoisie. Key factors driving violence in ‍Latin America are identified as narco-financial networks, the militarization of internal security, ‌and the perpetuation of inequality. Despite limitations due ‍to incomplete data in some ⁠countries, the ​study provides a robust analysis of ‍the impact of narcocapital on ​state ⁠formations ⁠and democracy. ​It reviews critical ⁠alternatives ‌to the war on drugs, such as Colombia’s ‍“Total ‌Peace” strategy, cannabis legalization in ⁠Uruguay, ‍and ‌the ‍community revaluation of coca ​in Bolivia. The study concludes that reducing ‍violence requires dismantling narco-financial networks, transforming socioeconomic ​structures, ‍and prioritizing equality as the ⁠foundation for strengthening democracy ​and fostering a more just social coexistence.

Direct answer

What can I do from this paper page?

Use this page to scan "“The Accumulation of Crime and the Crime of Accumulation”: Narcopolitics, the Entrenchment of Violence, and States of Internal War in Latin America" quickly: start with the summary and abstract, then check the authors, source, topics, and related papers. From here, open Scollr to follow Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance research, save the paper, or map adjacent work.

Authors

Researchers on this paper

J. Guijarro

first

Research areas

Follow related topics

Citation

BibTeX

@article{Guijarro2026Accumulation,
  title = {“The Accumulation of Crime and the Crime of Accumulation”: Narcopolitics, the Entrenchment of Violence, and States of Internal War in Latin America},
  author = {J. Guijarro},
  journal = {Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.22201/fcpys.2448492xe.2026.258.90554},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.22201/fcpys.2448492xe.2026.258.90554}
}

FAQ

Using this paper in a discovery workflow

How do I find related work for this paper?

Use the related papers and topic links on this page as starting points. In Scollr, you can also open the paper and build a literature map around its references, citing papers, and related work.

How can I keep up with new Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance research papers?

Follow Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance research in Scollr. New papers from the topic flow into a personalized feed, and you can save useful studies to revisit later.

Can I cite this paper from this page?

This page includes a static BibTeX block for “The Accumulation of Crime and the Crime of Accumulation”: Narcopolitics, the Entrenchment of Violence, and States of Internal War in Latin America. Always verify the DOI, source, and publication details against the publisher record before submitting a manuscript.

Follow this research in Scollr

Follow the topics and authors behind this paper, save useful studies, and build a literature map when you are ready to go deeper.

Get the app