With the advance of crime groups, gold mining in Colombia will likely continue evolving into a purely criminal industry where illicit interests, environmental devastation, and inadequate government action converge.
Although Colombia’s regional elections were more peaceful than those held four years ago, they showed that organized crime continues to be a severe threat to electoral proceedings.
One study author suggested “these newfound species might harbor chemical compounds, enzymes, or other unique biological characteristics with potential applications" in medicine and agriculture.