“El territorio es tuyo, pero la gente es nuestra”: los vínculos familiares y emocionales en la guerra por la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

Objective/context: What explains why some criminal groups manage to survive attacks by more powerful armed actors? In this article, our goal is to understand how certain local armed groups held together by family ties manage to endure over time despite facing stronger enemies. Methodology: We trace the development of a local and highly cohesive armed group, the Autodefensas Conquistadores de la Sierra Nevada (ACSN) in Santa Marta, Colombia. Drawing on interviews with members of the armed group and civilians, as well as secondary sources, we analyzed three episodes in which the group survived confrontations with more powerful competitors. Conclusions: We argue that such criminal groups can leverage emotional bonds to establish a form of criminal governance that is deeply rooted in the community. This involves implementing a system of rule in which they are perceived simultaneously as both authority figures and legitimate members of the community. In conflict contexts where they are militarily weaker, these groups may strategically concede territorial control while maintaining continuous social control. Originality: We empirically demonstrate how personal, family, and emotional ties are fundamental to the construction of armed governance and survival of criminal groups.