A troubling nexus: peacebuilding and transitional justice in the context of socioeconomic transformations in Catatumbo, Colombia

International practice highlights the need to integrate peacebuilding and transitional justice policies to enhance their effectiveness in transforming war-affected societies. However, there is limited empirical analysis of this integration. This study examines the relationship between transitional justice and peacebuilding in Catatumbo, Colombia, using a qualitative approach. We focus on the linkage between territorially focused development programmes (PDET) and reparative transitional justice interventions (TOAR). We describe institutional, conflictual, political, and structural factors that hinder this relationship and conclude by highlighting how the political economy of each field influences the limited results.