Principia Iuris is a scientific academic journal published by Universidad Santo Tomás – Tunja Branch, dedicated to disseminating research in the field of law and socio-legal studies. Its editorial line is inspired by the fundamental principles of Domitius Ulpian "to live honestly, to harm no one, and to give each their due" which guides the journal in promoting an ethical, critical, and reflective approach to contemporary legal issues. It publishes articles in Spanish, English, French, and Portuguese, and welcomes contributions addressing topics such as public and private law, criminal law and criminology, human rights, philosophy and theory of law, international law, transitional justice, public policy, and related areas. ISSN: 2463-2007 (Online) ISSN: 0124-2067 (Print)
Por medio de esta comunicación certifico que el artículo que estoy presentando para posible publicación en la revista institucional impulsada de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad Santo Tomás seccional Tunja, Principia Iuris, es de mi entera autoría, siendo sus contenidos producto de mi directa contribución intelectual. Todos los datos y referencias a publicaciones hechas están debidamente identificados con su respectiva nota bibliográfica y en las citas que se destacan como tal. Por todo lo anterior, declaro que el material presentado se encuentra conforme a la legislación aplicable en materia de propiedad intelectual, y por lo tanto, me hago responsable de cualquier reclamación relacionada a esta. En caso de que el artículo presentado sea publicado, manifiesto que cedo plenamente a la Universidad Santo Tomás seccional Tunja los derechos de reproducción del mismo y accedo a las modificaciones que de forma se requieran para adaptarse a la estética de la revista. Como contraprestación de la presente cesión, declaro mi conformidad de recibir (2) ejemplares del número de la revista en que aparezca mi artículo.
The Principle of Minimal Criminal Law Intervention in Money Laundering: A Political-Philosophical Analysis
This article analyzes the principle of minimum intervention of criminal law in the context of money laundering, suggests that the current sanctioning approach is proving insufficient to effectively combat this phenomenon. It is argued that, beyond legal dogmatics, it is necessary to address the problem from political philosophy, positioning ethics as the ideal tool for crime prevention. Money laundering is defined as the process of giving a semblance of legality to money derived from illicit activities.
Quality Justice A Justice Designed for People
The entry into force of Law 2477 of 2025 in Colombia marks a milestone in criminal policy by formally introducing the concept of "quality justice", this investigative article analyzes this transition not only as a procedural reform aimed at reducing judicial congestion, rather as a profound epistemic break with the traditional dogmatic model of German influence. It is proposed that justice should be a service oriented to the human being, which responds to their needs with fairness, objectivity and effectiveness, prioritizing the comprehensive reparation of victims over mere punitive retribution. The core of the research lies in the proposal of the "decreation" of criminal dogmatics. Traditional dogmatics are described as a "sterile fig tree" that, in its quest for internal coherence and metaphysical abstraction, has disconnected itself from social reality and the challenges of the twenty-first century. In the face of this "legal narcissism," criminal pragmatism is defended, understood as a situated praxis that seeks effective solutions to concrete problems rather than abstract truths. This new vision is articulated through a three-pronged philosophical approach: On the one hand, Ontologist: He places the human being and his dignity as the non-negotiable core of the system. Realist: It demands measurable results, effectiveness in conflict resolution and an interpretation of the law based on facts rather than fictions and finally Posempirist: It recognizes and integrates the emotions, stories and subjectivities of the victims as legitimate elements of the judicial process. Mechanisms such as pre-agreements, mediation, and the opportunity principle are argued to be the tools of choice for modern justice to remedy conflict in an agile and restorative manner. Likewise, the article explores the impact of the "data age," where correlation replaces causality, allowing criminal science to use complex algorithms and patterns to understand contemporary criminality, displacing rigid theoretical models from the nineteenth century. Finally, a severe critique is made of the "inverse problems" present in judicial practice, denouncing that the figure of the "reasonable inference" is often a conjecture that tries to guess authorship from desired results. It is concluded that the modern judge must abandon the mechanical application of law to act as a sentient being capable of removing barriers that prevent real justice. Ultimately, quality justice represents the transition to a legal civilization that seeks to prevent, protect, and remedy.
Analysis of Territorial Configuration in Conflict Zones: The Case of Aquitania (Boyacá)
This article approaches the armed conflict from a theoretical perspective that seeks to contextualize and describe the scenario in which this phenomenon unfolds in the municipality of Aquitania, Boyacá, Colombia. It starts by recognizing the territorial configuration as a space disputed by various armed groups, illustrating the presence and complexity of the armed conflict in said municipality. This socio-political phenomenon has affected territories differentially, leaving none immune to its effects. Consequently, it also gathers and analyzes data on the execution of various practices that violate the human rights of communities, emphasizing the need to analyze and understand the dynamics of the armed conflict and its impact on the population of Aquitania.
Reflections on the Professional Practice of Lawyers: Proposal for a Disciplinary Policy in Colombia
The history of lawyers arises hand in hand with law, since one could not exist without the other. This relationship has brought about historical changes, especially in terms of the vision of how to control the relationship of individuals in society. Positioning, from a social function, imposed extremely heavy burdens on those legal workers, who had to study and apply the law. Accordingly, the social need of lawyers began to show a positioning, since their actions are transversal to society, an example of this is the creation of laws, the defense of civil and collective interests. This position of the legal profession should be a subject of discussion, the search for strategies to manage it should be strategic; that is, the presence of bad practices in the praxis of the lawyer generates distrust of citizens and the judicial system, from a legal and moral point of view. In this sense, disciplinary law emerges as one of those ways to guide it towards the rectitude of lawyers, sanctioning behaviors harmful to society and the profession. However, this area should not be understood with a sanctioning purpose, but the central axis that guides the lawyer's activity should be the education and prevention of these, therefore, disciplinary law must be present throughout the professional scenario, together with the preventive function of the sanctioning law as an element of social control fulfilling the objective of the profession.
Basic Principles of a Public Policy on The Right to Die
This article supports the proposal of the right to die, in dignified terms and with guarantees, control and State surveillance, based on the individual decision to stop living and with a rigorous prior examination that allows to identify a decision acceptable to the legal system, so that the legal right of life begins to be understood as freely available, respecting the individuality and human dignity of the subject. Within the development of the right to die—arising from the individual decision to cease living, subject to a rigorous review capable of identifying a decision acceptable to the legal system, while respecting the individuality and freedom of the person within a rights-based framework grounded in human dignity—this article proposes the basic principles that a public policy on the right to die should contain.
LA DIFUSIÓN NO CONSENTIDA DE CONTENIDO ÍNTIMO COMO DELITO EN COLOMBIA COMPARADO CON MÉXICO Y ARGENTINA
Sexual cybercrimes have alarmingly increased among young people, who are increasingly exposed to violations of their integrity and reputation through social networks and the internet. Although these actions can have serious consequences for victims, the Colombian Penal Code only addresses them as "defamation by deed," leaving legal gaps that limit real protection for those affected. This article presents a comparative analysis between Colombia's criminal legislation and Mexico’s regulations (Olimpia Law) and Argentina’s (Belén Law), evaluating their approach to the non-consensual dissemination of intimate content and examining how these guidelines might be adapted to the Colombian context, giving special attention to the consequences of these legal gaps and their impact on effective victim protection, in accordance with the guiding rules of Colombian criminal law.
Repression and Criminalization of Social Protest in Colombia
Social struggles throughout history have been fundamental in guaranteeing Human Rights in every part of the world. Citizen demonstrations and protests have allowed serious problems to be brought to light and have led to significant changes, such as the Independence of Nations and the establishment of Democracy. However, in Colombia, peaceful marches often turn into violent confrontations when law enforcement intervenes, resulting in many protesters ending up injured, missing, or even dead, while those who are captured are processed and subjected to trials without the minimum procedural guarantees. The repression of social protests has increased, with laws that limit the right to demonstrate and label protesters as criminals. This has led to arbitrary use of force and the stigmatization of social struggles. The current landscape of social protest in Colombia is concerning, as the State does not adequately protect the rights of citizens who mobilize, raising serious questions about the respect for Human Rights.
The Tension Between Administrative Efficiency and Contractor Guarantees: Challenges and Proposals for the Declaration of Termination for Default
Contract termination due to expiration, provided in Article 18 of Law 80 of 1993, is one of the most significant expressions of the Administration’s exceptional powers, aimed at protecting the public interest against serious and direct breaches by contractors. However, the mandatory procedure established in Article 86 of Law 1474 of 2011 creates tension between the need for administrative efficiency—to prevent contractual paralysis and ensure the fulfillment of collective needs—and the obligation to safeguard contractors’ procedural guarantees. This article analyzes the regulatory and jurisprudential evolution of contract termination, its sanctioning nature, and the material and procedural limits that frame it, while proposing efficiency-oriented alternatives that balance the principle of administrative effectiveness with the fundamental right to due process.
Principia Iuris Journal No. 47, Volume 22
The integration of technology in the training of lawyers: directions for the contemporary professional
Technological disruption in the academic field is imposing important challenges in the training of lawyers, as well as driving new didactic trends for the teaching of law. This paper will address how traditional paradigms are being reevaluated in the academic field for the legal sciences educator, and based on the descriptive analytical method, prospectively reveal the uses of artificial intelligence in professional training, which together with the professional ethical dimension, reflects a proposed methodology for modern legal education, outlining the paths towards social, technological, pedagogical and ethical transformation, which are being circumscribed around the training of lawyers. This dialogue will allow the understanding of technological, ethical and professional phenomena in legal sciences in the integration of technology and professional practice from the academy.
AI: Towards the dehumanization of the law
This article presents a vision of a scenario where the administration of justice is executed by Artificial Intelligence, starting from the tendency to apply algorithms in everyday actions and postulating some limits that, if ignored, could lead to a dehumanized system of law.
Legal validity of statements in administrative proceedings of domestic violence and their criminal impact
This article examines the legal and jurisprudential foundations that determine the validity of the statements and discharges presented by those accused in administrative proceedings of domestic violence in Colombia. Based on an approach focused on the analysis of decisions of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Justice, essential principles that should govern these procedures are identified, such as legality, respect for due process and proper management of evidence. Emphasis is placed on the importance of assessing circumstantial evidence, given that domestic violence often occurs in private spaces, where direct evidence is limited. In addition, the role of precautionary and definitive measures in the protection of victims is analyzed, while highlighting the need to guarantee the fundamental rights of the accused, such as the presumption of innocence and the right not to self-incriminate. Finally, recommendations are offered to optimize administrative and judicial processes, including the training of justice operators and the provision of adequate legal advice from the initial stages of the procedure.
Comparative analysis of the legal requirements for self-defense and putative defense in Colombia
The analysis of self-defense and putative self-defense in the Colombian context underlines their importance as legal mechanisms to protect essential legal assets against illegitimate or perceived aggression. The research delves into the normative foundations of article 32 of the Colombian Penal Code and into the doctrinal interpretation, highlighting the criteria of proportionality, necessity and absence of provocation. The challenges inherent to the practical application of these figures are highlighted, particularly in the evaluation of the error in putative self-defense and its impact on the judicial system. Comparatively, the similarities and differences with other jurisdictions, such as Spain, Mexico and the United States, are analyzed, revealing diverse approaches to proportionality and the use of force. The ethical, legal and social implications are addressed around the balance between the protection of individual rights and collective security, emphasizing the need for clear normative criteria and coherent judicial decisions to guarantee fair application and avoid abuses. Finally, reforms are proposed to strengthen the Colombian regulatory framework and promote confidence in the criminal justice system.
Sobrevivir el campo: una experiencia de investigación campesina en las veredas del municipio de Susacón (Boyacá): El Hato, Tochupa - Cuarto Naranjaos, Guayacanal y Bogonta.
The neoliberal development model and the advance of global economy has shown the schemes of economical ans social systems of the farmers are breaking, which have been forced to endure the hegemonic domain of the monetary system, since the precarity of work and it’s economy have been getting worse with time, approaching an economic expulsion and invisibility of farmer work. This shows and exclusion from the farmer’s economic systems and lack of acknowledgement of the farmer’s rights as historical subjects. In this case the study will cover the expulsion, invisibilization of the farmer’s lands of: El Hato, ... And Bogonta... achieveing and approach to the current reality that the farmers live in their daily life from their perspective, linking their transformations and feelings in their economic and social conditions.
Case law precedent in constitutional protection actions against judicial rulings in the Republic of Colombia.
The research addresses a historical analysis of the jurisprudential precedent on the tutela action against a judicial decision in Colombia. The background and legal arguments that the Constitutional Court has used to establish its positions regarding the inadmissibility and admissibility are examined, the requirements of admissibility are described, analyzed and conceptualized, doctrinally the changes in the jurisprudential precedent are systematized in chronological order to identify the relevant arguments, providing concepts for understanding, and likewise the specific requirement for ignorance of the jurisprudential precedent is expanded, by the use of outdated or modified jurisprudential citations over time, and the legal consequences of ignorance of the precedent are documented.
Organized Crime and Money Laundering: An Analysis from the Perspective of Preventive Economic Criminal Law.
The offense of money laundering has favored the expansion and sustainability of organized crime, simultaneously facilitating corruption, the loss of legitimacy of the State, alterations in the rules of direction and intervention of the State in the economy, among other situations. This crime is not only a consequence of criminal activities but also an essential element for the functioning and survival of criminal networks. In this sense, effectively combating money laundering is key to dismantling organized crime as it attacks one of its main engines: illicit profits.
En tiempos de cambios acelerados, el Derecho no puede permanecer estático. Las transformaciones tecnológicas, sociales, éticas y económicas que atraviesan nuestras sociedades exigen una revisión constante de nuestras estructuras jurídicas, de nuestras prácticas institucionales y de los saberes que circulan en la academia y en la práctica profesional. Esta edición de la Revista propone una mirada crítica y reflexiva sobre los desafíos contemporáneos que enfrenta el mundo jurídico. La tensión entre tradición e innovación atraviesa cada una de las contribuciones, que evidencian cómo el Derecho se ve interpelado por fenómenos tan complejos como el avance de la tecnología, las nuevas formas de criminalidad, las dinámicas de violencia al interior de las relaciones sociales, o las luchas históricas por el reconocimiento de los sectores marginados. Los textos que conforman este número comparten una preocupación común: la necesidad de un Derecho más humano, más justo y adaptado a las realidades actuales. Las discusiones sobre las implicaciones éticas de la tecnología, la prevención del delito, el respeto por los derechos fundamentales, el fortalecimiento del debido proceso, o la revisión crítica de los modelos educativos, nos invitan a repensar el rol del Derecho no sólo como herramienta de control, sino como instrumento de transformación social. Esta publicación es también un llamado a la acción. A formar profesionales del Derecho con conciencia crítica, a construir instituciones más abiertas al cambio, a fortalecer los marcos normativos con base en la justicia material, y a defender, desde el ejercicio jurídico, la dignidad humana en todas sus expresiones. Invitamos a nuestros lectores a recorrer estas páginas con mente abierta, con espíritu crítico y con la convicción de que el Derecho, cuando se piensa y se siente desde la realidad, puede ser motor de cambio y esperanza. Ph.D. Sergio Andrés López-Zamora Editor
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Criminal Law
The intersection between Artificial Intelligence (hereinafter AI) and criminal law raises a critical debate regarding its ethical and legal implications. While its ability to enhance judicial efficiency is evident, concerns arise regarding transparency, hallucinations, privacy, and algorithmic bias. Addressing these issues is essential to ensuring a fair and transparent legal system, especially given that AI is already used formally in institutions such as the Constitutional Court and the Attorney General’s Office, and informally by judges, magistrates, students, and users of the criminal justice system. To understand the impact of AI on criminal law, it is necessary to define this technological tool, explore its potential, and study its origins and evolution to the present day. Furthermore, the ethical implications, limitations, risks, and dangers of its use must be considered. It is crucial to provide a realistic context for AI in order to understand how to transform it into an ally rather than oppose its implementation.
PRESENTACIÓN DEL LIBRO LA EFICACIA DE LAS NORMAS DE PREVENCIÓN, DETECCIÓN Y SANCIÓN DEL LAVADO DE ACTIVOS
El texto pretende realizar una presentación del libro La eficacia de las normas de prevención, detección y sanción del lavado de activos, publicado por la Universidad de Ibagué. Los aportes que realizan los autores constituyen en insumo para el Legislador colombiano para la elaboración futura de normas que efectivamente contribuyan a la prevención, detección y sanción del lavado de activos en Colombia.
This issue of Principia Iuris features eight articles that address current legal challenges from a critical and social perspective, focusing on the protection of human rights in the Colombian context. Topics analyzed include access to healthcare in prisons, the influence of narco-culture in Medellín, jurisprudential conflicts over property, tax sanctions, commercial law, and unlawful harm. Procedural issues and the role of affirmative action in securing the rights of the Raizal people are also discussed.
Principia Iuris Vol. 21, No. 44 (January–June 2024), published by the Faculty of Law at Universidad Santo Tomás – Tunja Campus, offers a critical and up-to-date perspective on contemporary legal challenges. The articles address topics such as artificial intelligence in law, the effectiveness of constitutional review in Colombia, social security for digital platform workers, normative limits, the seizure of possession rights, and the sexual and reproductive rights of persons with disabilities in Colombia and Argentina. The issue opens with the presentation of the book The Effectiveness of Rules for the Prevention, Detection, and Sanctioning of Money Laundering and concludes with a critical reflection on the use of the fiscal impact incident, promoting an ethical, fair, and adaptive understanding of the law in response to social, technological, and economic changes.
Nos complace presentar la nueva edición de nuestra revista, que abarca una diversidad de temas de gran relevancia y actualidad en el ámbito jurídico y socioeconómico. La pre sente colección de artículos ofrece una visión multifacética de los desafíos y desarrollos recientes en el campo del De recho, se destaca la importancia de implementar un enfoque integrado y crítico en la interpretación y aplicación de las normas jurídicas en el marco de las nuevas tendencias del Derecho.
En duras épocas de crisis moral, contexto donde el estado de riesgo permanente para los derechos humanos desborda a partir de un conflicto cada vez más escalado hacia un lado y una escalada guerra fría cada vez más latente de otro lado; donde la escasez y la desigualdad en el Sur parece nunca dejar de aumentar; y donde un ecosistema humano cada vez más deteriorado nubla un futuro donde realmente se puedan disfrutar los derechos humanos y más básicos derechos fun damentales, es que puede sostenerse que nos encontramos ya trasegando un cambio de paradigma, donde el antropo centrismo que catapultó la vigencia de políticas neoliberales debe avanzar a un enfoque sostenible y reconciliable con la subsistencia de los derechos humanos.
PROBLEMAS TEÓRICOS Y PRÁCTICOS SOBRE LA APLICABILIDAD DEL INTERROGATORIO DE PARTE EN LAS ACCIONES DE GRUPO EN COLOMBIA
El presente escrito pretende presentar la discusión que existe en el derecho colom biano sobre la aplicabilidad del interrogatorio de parte en las acciones de grupo. Se busca con esta investigación analizar, desde el punto de vista teórico y práctico, la posibilidad o no de conciliar la práctica del interrogatorio de parte con las particula ridades propias de la acción de grupo, a partir de conceptos como la extensión de los efectos de la cosa juzgada a los miembros de un grupo, la homogeneidad del grupo, la capacidad del grupo para ser parte y para actuar a través de un representante, y la declaración de parte como medio de prueba en los procesos judiciales. Con este escrito se pretende generar algunas reflexiones que puedan servir como punto de partida para que los jueces y los operadores jurídicos puedan adaptar la obligación que poseen de decretar, practicar y valorar los medios de prueba en un proceso judi cial, con las particularidades de la acción de grupo, que se caracteriza por permitir el reclamo de perjuicios individuales a través de un trámite colectivo.
El presente artículo de investigación jurídica pretende identificar y demostrar que, con base en la creación legal, formal y de procedimiento relacionado con los requi sitos de admisibilidad de la acción pública de inconstitucionalidad, se conculcan derechos políticos de los ciudadanos que aspiran a acceder a la administración de justicia en sede constitucional; para lo cual se configuran los exhortos constituciona les que contemplan la fijación y la conminación de plazos, en especial por parte del Legislador de llevar a cabo la realización de sus labores, en específico de la mate rialización y situación de vulneración del principio de autocontención judicial, que produce como efecto la invasión a la libertad de configuración legislativa y de intro misión en la competencia de la Rama Legislativa. Así mismo, se presenta también una conducta omisiva por parte del ente legislativo, de expedir las leyes que emanan de sus competencias consagradas en la Constitución Política de 1991, para lo cual la Corte Constitucional podría ejercer actos de regulación frente a la materia, y espe cíficamente como guardiana de la Carta Política, garantizar los derechos afectados. Por último, se desprende que, con la facultad de suspensión de normas emanadas bajo las órdenes judiciales expedidas por la Corte Constitucional, se genera como producto la afectación de los derechos políticos de los ciudadanos al no poder reali zar la solicitud directamente, a través de la etapa de selección de algún magistrado de turno en la alta Corporación. Igualmente, se origina el escenario de descono cimiento del ‘principio de la navaja’ de Guillermo de Ockham, cuando habiendo otro instrumento como la excepción de inconstitucionalidad no se aplica, para en su lugar justificar un mecanismo de intervención temprana que no tiene asidero o respaldo jurídico-normativo.
DERECHOS SEXUALES Y REPRODUCTIVOS DE LAS PERSONAS EN CONDICIÓN DE DISCAPACIDAD MENTAL EN COLOMBIA Y ARGENTINA
En el presente artículo de investigación se pretende responder a un puntual cuestio namiento: ¿Cuál es el régimen jurídico aplicable a los derechos sexuales y reproduc tivos de personas en condición de discapacidad mental en Colombia y Argentina? Objetivo para el cual se propone el contraste de las condiciones jurídicas propuestas en los dos ordenamientos bajo estudio: primero, se establece la regulación jurídica colombiana sobre los derechos sexuales y reproductivos a partir de la jurisprudencia de la Corte Constitucional; y segundo, se determina la regulación argentina sobre la materia con base en las leyes vigentes y los pronunciamientos jurisprudenciales, para finalmente confrontar lo establecido en los dos ordenamientos e identificar ven tajas y desventajas de uno y de otro. Así pues, mediante un desarrollo metodológico cuantitativo de enfoque socio-jurídico se vislumbra la conclusión de que Colombia, atendiendo a sus compromisos internacionales ha eliminado la sustitución de volun tad para la anticoncepción quirúrgica, mientras Argentina aún la conserva, contem plando la autorización judicial solicitada por el representante legal como requisito suficiente para que una persona discapacitada mentalmente pueda ser paciente de la contracepción. En ese sentido, se indica que debe Argentina atender efectivamen te las obligaciones contraídas a nivel internacional y adoptar mecanismos menos restrictivos de la autonomía y la libertad de estas personas, como Colombia lo hizo con la presunción vigente de que todas las personas mayores de edad son capaces, evitando la sustitución de la voluntad de aquellas y otorgándoles el derecho a dirigir su vida.
ACCESO A LA SALUD EN CONDICIONES DIGNAS DE PERSONAS PRIVADAS DE LA LIBERTAD (PPL): UNA REVISIÓN AL CASO DE LA CÁRCEL Y PENITENCIARÍA DE MEDIANA SEGURIDAD DE PUERTO TRIUNFO (ANTIOQUIA, COLOMBIA, 2020-2022)
El tema de la investigación se enfoca en la prestación de servicios de salud a reclusos en la Cárcel y Penitenciaria de Mediana Seguridad de Puerto Triunfo (Antioquia) durante el período 2020-2022. Como objetivo general se propone examinar y evaluar el acceso a la salud en condiciones dignas para estas personas privadas de la libertad, con un enfoque integral que incluye la generación de indicadores de medición, el análisis de la normativa y jurisprudencia relacionada, así como la evaluación de la prestación de servicios de salud en el contexto de la reclusión. En el objetivo central de este trabajo se sustenta partiendo como base de los problemas que enfrentan las PPL y desafíos específicos en cuanto al acceso a la atención médica debido a las condiciones de reclusión y las barreras estructurales y sistémicas. Para ello, el enfoque de investigación propuesto es cualitativo, utilizando la revisión de normativa y jurisprudencia, generación de indicadores de evaluación a partir de la literatura y consultas con expertos en el tema.
LA ‘NARCO-CULTURA’ COMO INFLUENCIA DE LA CRIMINALIDAD EN EL DISTRITO DE MEDELLÍN (COLOMBIA)
y a su vez se expresa en determinado contexto. La cultura se asume como un polisémico y complejo entramado interdisciplinario. De lo anterior, se puede ratificar que las sociedades se desarrollan a través de complejos sistemas de signos que organizan y dan sentido a la totalidad de las prácticas sociales. También da un lugar importante a las personas en dicho desarrollo, desde la producción de significación de sentidos, donde los acuerdos o códigos sociales a los que se llegue serán lo que definan los enfoques sobre el mundo social. Si bien la ‘narcocultura’ es descrita en la literatura como resultante del apogeo del narcotráfico en Colombia, donde los mafiosos vueltos iconos llegaron a la idealización capitalista de los jóvenes colombianos, estereotipos tales como la belleza y el poder lograron ser vinculados mediante el facilismo y la violencia; por tanto, el presente texto expone una investigación documental que trata de aclarar los elementos que componen a la ‘narcocultura’,su correlación con el incremento en los índices de criminalidad en el Distrito de Medellín y cómo estos crean expectativas de vida y legitiman el tráfico de drogas a través de formas simbólicas como música, literatura, series televisivas, religión, arquitectura y películas orientadas al narcotráfico; asimismo, muestra los contenidos simbólicos implicados como la ostentación, el lujo, la violencia, la muerte, el territorio, la presencia de la mujer, el poder, la ilegalidad, la corrupción, entre otros. El documento expone también los alcances y retos que enfrentan los estudios sobre la ‘narcocultura’, considerando que no es un fenómeno social irrelevante, sino que corresponde a la dimensión cultural del tráfico de drogas. Finalmente, el desarrollo de la investigación explicará la injerencia de la ‘narcocultura’ en la criminalidad del Distrito de Medellín, pudiéndose concluir que en la actualidad paisa se ven reflejadas las tendencias criminales que lograron perpetuarse desde la década de los ochenta.