Reflections on the Relationship between Media Perception and Peacebuilding Reflexiones sobre la Relación entre la Percepción Mediática y la Construcción de Paz

Abstract

This essay reflects on how the exercise of power, previously limited to territorial control and now extended to control over information, has been influencing public perception of the performance of the mechanisms for peacebuilding and non-repetition proposed in the final agreement in 2016. The study examines why the peace agreements represented a shift in power dynamics in Colombia and how this triggered misinformation and stigmatization campaigns against the agreements, aiming to undermine public support for peacebuilding efforts. Furthermore, it suggests that the greatest obstacle posed by the manipulation of public opinion is the potential impact on the life projects of the people involved, due to the reach and spread of information that attacks and stigmatizes them. Finally, it acknowledges the importance of understanding the role of the media and access to information in fostering critical thinking among content consumers, as well as in preventing distortions in contemporary and future exercises of peacebuilding and nation-building.