Rural Santa Marta is facing one of its most serious security crises in recent years. Since early Sunday morning, intense clashes between Army troops and the criminal group known as the Conquistadores Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada (ACSN), popularly known as “Los Pachencas,†have disrupted the lives of farming and Indigenous communities settled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
The situation reached a critical point yesterday with the closure of the Troncal del Caribe, the main highway connecting Colombia's Caribbean region with the center of the country. The blockades, initially reported in the Quebrada del Sol area, caused long lines of vehicles, disrupted freight transportation, and created serious mobility difficulties between the departments of Magdalena and La Guajira, even affecting access routes to the tourist destination of Tayrona National Park.
While authorities attempted to regain control of the area, hundreds of residents remained trapped in the middle of an armed confrontation whose full scope has yet to be established.
Authorities reported two civilians injured and one soldier killed during the military operations. The Ministry of Defense reported the seizure of weapons from this criminal group following an operation by the military, as part of an ongoing deployment.
Colombia: tensions rise in rural Santa Marta amid clashes with armed groups
The clashes began early Sunday morning in the village of Quebrada del Sol, a strategic area located in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada. According to reports from regional media outlets and authorities, Army units launched an operation against ACSN structures operating in the area. Explosions and bursts of rifle fire continued for several hours and alarmed residents across the region.
As the hours passed, the situation worsened. Subsequent reports indicated the burning of a military vehicle, the establishment of blockades along strategic corridors, and the displacement of families who fled their homes out of fear of being caught in the crossfire. Several rural communities also reported movement restrictions and difficulties accessing basic services.
Tensions also spread to areas near Guachaca, Mendihuaca, and other points along the highway corridor connecting Santa Marta with La Guajira. Social organizations and community leaders issued urgent calls to protect the civilian population, especially Indigenous communities living in territories near the military operations.
One of the most visible effects of the crisis was the blockade of the Troncal del Caribe, considered one of the most important highways in northern Colombia. The road remained closed due to the clashes and the presence of obstacles placed at various points along the route.
The disruptions affected more than just local residents. Transport operators, tourism businesses, and merchants reported economic losses resulting from the interruption of a key corridor for supplies and connectivity between the departments of Magdalena and La Guajira. Regional authorities also warned of possible humanitarian consequences if the situation were to continue for several days.
The crisis is also impacting Santa Marta's tourism sector, as the city's economy depends heavily on visitors traveling to Tayrona National Park and other destinations located along the coastal strip of the Sierra Nevada. The roadblocks and security alerts have created uncertainty during a key season for the region.
In this regard, the city's mayor, Carlos Pinedo, said last night that local authorities, working jointly with the Ministry of Defense, were seeking to reopen access routes—which occurred early this morning. “In a phone conversation with the Minister of Defense, the commander of the Armed Forces, and the director of the National Police, they committed to strengthening institutional capacities in the territory, with a greater presence of security forces and additional military personnel along the road between Santa Marta and TAyrona National Park,†the mayor explained.
ð’ðˆð ðð€ð”ð’ð€, ðð„ð‘ðŽ ð‚ðŽð ð‚ðŽðð“ð”ððƒð„ðð‚ðˆð€ ð‚ðŽðð“ð‘ð€ ð„ð‹ ð‚ð‘ðˆðŒð„ð
Nuestro @COL_EJERCITO, en conjunto con nuestra @FuerzaAereaCol y en coordinación con nuestra @PoliciaColombia, afectó una estructura criminal de los Pachenca o ACSN en la vereda Quebrada… pic.twitter.com/k0MuvWWIDN
— Pedro Arnulfo Sanchez S. Orgullosamente Colombiano (@PedroSanchezCol) June 16, 2026
Who are ‘Los Pachencas'?
The Conquistadores Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada are one of the most influential armed groups in Colombia's Caribbean region. Although they currently operate under the ACSN acronym, their origins are closely linked to the paramilitary structures that dominated the Sierra Nevada during the 1990s and 2000s.
Following the demobilization of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), particularly the Tayrona Resistance Front, several former members and criminal networks remained active in the area. Residual groups emerged from those structures and eventually evolved into the organization known as “Los Pachencas,†a name associated with one of its former leaders.
For nearly two decades, the group has maintained influence over strategic corridors used for drug trafficking, extortion activities, and territorial control across large areas of the Sierra Nevada. Its presence has been particularly strong in rural areas of Santa Marta, as well as in parts of Magdalena and La Guajira.
Colombian authorities consider the ACSN an organized armed group and have intensified military operations against it. At the same time, the organization has at various moments expressed interest in participating in potential dialogue processes with the state, although the recent clashes demonstrate that armed confrontation remains a reality in the region.
The current crisis shows that the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta remains one of the most complex territories in Colombia's armed conflict. Its strategic location, close to Caribbean maritime routes and corridors used by criminal organizations, has historically made the area a battleground for territorial control.
As military operations continue and authorities attempt to restore mobility along the Troncal del Caribe, hundreds of families remain closely watching developments on the ground.
For rural communities in the Sierra Nevada, the fear lies not only in the current clashes but also in the possibility that a new escalation of violence could prolong a history of conflict that, more than twenty years after the paramilitary demobilization, continues to leave deep consequences across the territory.
