ABSTRACT
Following this orientation, the first three sections of this paper illustrate Colombian legal culture and the national situation, which have motivated the use (and abuse) of ICL as a source of law in the national jurisdiction. These sections provide a synthetic exploration of social, political and normative forces that are at play in the application of ICL at the national level in Colombia. They aim to provide a sketch of the concrete environment in which the legal and political debates occur and the way the law is practised. The first section addresses how the struggle against impunity of core crimes has taken shape in Colombia. The second explores the momentum that criminal law (including ICL) has gained around the world and in Colombia, and the effects of its ascension in national affairs. The third section presents a simple characterisation of Colombian legal culture that contributes to explaining the ways in which the reception and incorporation of ICL have taken place.
