### A New Understanding of Post-War Mistrust

Civil wars often leave deep scars, especially when governing requires trust among ex-combatants. This hurdle to peace has been understudied despite its critical role.

### The Colombian Case Study

We examine the 2008 decision by Colombia's government to extradite top paramilitary leaders—a move that created a natural experiment.

Our focus: how this deal reversal affected trust in government among ex-paramilitaries, versus ex-guerrillas not part of the same peace agreement.

### Our Findings

* Trust declined significantly among ex-paramilitaries after the extradition decision (estimates suggest roughly 50%).

* This erosion stemmed from normative reasons—believing their group had broken commitments—not instrumental ones like direct costs.

### Why It Matters for Peacebuilding

This suggests government actions undermining peace agreements may damage trust even among those not directly involved, highlighting the fragility of post-conflict social contracts. Breaking pacts appears to trigger widespread disillusionment.