Abstract

SIERRA HERNANDEZ, Jeammy Julieth  and  MARTINEZ RODRIGUEZ, Laura Carolina. Conflict, Decentralization, and Territorial Development: A Comparative Analysis of Municipal Performance in Catatumbo. Gest. polít. pública [online]. 2025, vol.34, n.1, pp.65-103.  Epub June 24, 2025. ISSN 1405-1079.  https://doi.org/10.60583/gypp.v34i1.8371.

This research analyzed how the armed conflict influenced the relationship between decentralization policies and municipal performance in the Catatumbo region between 2018 and 2021, highlighting the need to adapt the Municipal Performance Index (IDM) to include variables that reflect the specificities of conflict contexts. Catatumbo, home to 15.10% of the department’s population (DANE, 2023), has faced state neglect and armed conflicts involving groups such as the FARC-EP, EPL, and ELN. The rise of coca cultivation has also sparked land disputes. Despite decentralization efforts, territorial control by armed groups has limited the autonomy of local governments, negatively impacting decision-making and resource allocation.

Quantitative results indicate that, while there are no significant differences in most IDM dimensions compared to other municipalities outside Catatumbo, the health sector presents unique challenges, with improvements in coverage but significant difficulties in service delivery due to perceived insecurity. The qualitative analysis reinforces these findings, showing how pressure from non-state actors undermines the effectiveness of decentralized policies and weakens public trust in institutions. Moreover, inadequate management of natural resources and changes in royalty distribution have exacerbated poverty, underscoring the importance of adjusting IDM metrics to better capture the realities in conflict-affected areas.

Keywords : decentralization; armed conflicts; municipal performance; territorial entities; peace agreements.

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