Troncal del Caribe, a major highway on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, was blocked early Monday following a government offensive against the Autodefensas Conquistadores de la Sierra Nevada (ACSN) armed group.
It is unclear whether community members or ACSN ordered the closure. It affected a wide swath of road between the major coastal cities of Santa Marta and Riohacha, disrupting commuter buses, tourist transport and freight vehicles.
Locals say Monday’s incident, in which a vehicle was set on fire, has created uncertainty for tourism operators and heightened concerns about security just days before the presidential election.
The blockade began around 9am and affected about 70km of road, according to local residents.
The area is home to white sand beaches and the famous Tayrona National Park, making it a popular tourist destination for domestic and international tourists.
But major tourist attractions have become inaccessible, with trees being cut down to block roads and images shared on social media showing long lines of buses, cars, lorries and intercity buses set on fire along highways.
ACSN, a criminal organization with links to drug trafficking, controls much of the area around Santa Marta.
According to some media reports, the blockade was a protest by groups opposing the national army operation on Monday morning, and ACSN condemned it in a statement on social media: “Early this morning we were attacked in the town of Quebrada del Sol. Fighting is still continuing and our troops are trying to protect their lives.”
However, other reports claim that Guachaca locals have blocked roads to condemn the escalation of violence.
speaking Latin America ReportCommunity leader Luis Eduardo Muñoz explained the impact of the lockdown on residents.
“It’s having a huge impact on the community, with shops closed and roads closed. It’s also causing a lot of anxiety for tourists who are afraid to come here, which hurts all of us,” he said.
Muñoz noted that there is uncertainty about whether Tayrona National Park, one of Colombia’s biggest tourist destinations, will open tomorrow. The park was closed earlier this year after staff reportedly received threats from local armed groups.
Community leaders also noted that local tourism operators are concerned that rising tensions will deter visitors.
“No one likes being in the middle of a war zone, let alone visiting one while on vacation,” he said.
Muñoz criticized the government, questioning why it decided to launch an attack on ACSN now. “We are angry that (President Gustavo) Petro talks about peace… and then he launches a military invasion.”
The military said the operation was aimed at disrupting the structure of the organized armed group Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra and curbing its criminal activities in the province.
Security was a major issue in the campaign. Petro’s elected successor, leftist Iván Cepeda, promised to continue negotiations with the armed group. But his rival, the hard-right Abelardo de la Espriella, vows to attack them with an iron fist.
Muñoz speculated that the offensive could be a political move given the second presidential election scheduled for Sunday. “I don’t know why he’s doing this. Maybe it’s so his candidate can win and people will vote for him, but what he’s doing is making it worse.”
The blockade remains in effect and the Santa Marta mayor’s office has asked the government to help establish humanitarian corridors to ensure safe passage of roads.
This article was originally published on The Bogotá Post and is republished with permission.
Featured Image Description: Screenshot of Troncal del Caribe near Guachaca.
Main image source: Google Maps.
