President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered the military deployment Tuesday after the violence followed a security operation against the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada, or ACSN, an armed organization authorities link to drug trafficking and extortion. More than 1,100 members of the Armed Forces and National Police were deployed in Santa Marta and neighboring areas, according to Colombian authorities.

The escalation has left streets unusually quiet, with many shops and schools closed and public transportation disrupted. Authorities have urged businesses to reopen, but residents remained cautious as the security operation continued Wednesday.

Violence followed operation against armed group

The confrontation began after Colombian security forces carried out an operation in rural Santa Marta on Sept. 21 against the ACSN.

The National Police said the operation involved its antinarcotics directorate, judicial police and Jungla commandos, supported by police aviation and the Colombian Air Force. Seven members of the group were killed and three were captured, according to the police account.

Among those killed was José Luis Pérez Villanueva, known as “Cholo,” whom authorities identified as the group’s second-ranking leader and a key figure in its financing network. Police said he was wanted on charges involving aggravated criminal conspiracy for homicide and extortion.

Authorities said the operation also seized rifles, grenade launchers, ammunition and other military equipment. Those details come from the Colombian National Police and have not been independently verified by JournosNews.

The government said the operation disrupted the group’s command and financing structure.

The ACSN subsequently announced what authorities described as a 48-hour armed strike, ordering businesses and transportation services to close.

Businesses and transport were targeted

On Tuesday, armed men attacked businesses and set vehicles on fire in Santa Marta.

At least three vehicles, including a public bus and a taxi, were burned, while armed men threatened merchants, according to police and reporting from the city. Videos circulating from the affected areas showed deserted streets, closed businesses and burning vehicles.

The violence affected public transportation and commercial activity across parts of the city.

The ACSN’s actions were described by authorities as retaliation for the security operation that killed its members and “Cholo.” The group’s ability to impose closures through threats also demonstrated its continuing influence over parts of the local economy.

The United Nations human-rights office in Colombia condemned the reported restrictions on movement imposed by the armed group and the violence affecting Santa Marta and the wider Caribbean region.

Military and police presence expands

The government responded by increasing the security presence in Santa Marta and along important transport routes.

The Army said it had established military positions at strategic points in the city and surrounding rural districts in coordination with the National Police. The deployment also covers the Caribbean highway linking Santa Marta toward La Guajira.

The government initially announced more than 500 soldiers and 600 police officers in Santa Marta, Ciénaga and along the Troncal del Caribe. Defense Minister Jorge Eduardo Mora López later said more than 1,500 members of the security forces had been deployed across Santa Marta and other parts of Magdalena as authorities sought to restore public confidence and prevent further attacks.

The additional forces include mixed Army-police patrols and units focused on preventing extortion, according to Colombian security authorities.

The deployment extends beyond the city itself because the ACSN also operates in parts of Magdalena and neighboring La Guajira.

Santa Marta remains under pressure

Santa Marta is a major Caribbean tourism center and the gateway to Tayrona National Park.

The violence has therefore affected an economy heavily dependent on commerce, transportation and tourism.

On Wednesday, the city remained quieter than normal despite government calls for residents and businesses to resume their activities. Local officials visited commercial areas and urged merchants to reopen, while security forces maintained visible patrols.

The U.S. Embassy in Bogotá issued a security alert advising Americans to avoid areas affected by disturbances, roadblocks, large gatherings and security operations. It specifically identified Santa Marta and surrounding areas as well as sections of the Troncal del Caribe.

The city’s airport remained open, and authorities said the principal road connecting Santa Marta with the airport and Barranquilla was operating, although conditions could change quickly.

The situation was therefore disruptive rather than a complete shutdown of all movement in and out of the city.

The armed group behind the violence

The Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada is an armed organization with roots in Colombia’s former paramilitary structures.

Colombian authorities say the group operates in Magdalena, La Guajira and Cesar and is involved in drug trafficking, extortion and control of illicit economies. The Office of the High Commissioner for Peace estimates the organization has about 800 members.

The group’s presence reflects a broader security problem in northern Colombia, where competing armed and criminal organizations have sought control of drug-trafficking routes and other illegal economies.

The death of “Cholo” was the second major recent loss for the organization.

Earlier in September, Colombian security forces killed another senior ACSN commander known as “Bendito Menor,” according to authorities and current reporting.

The successive operations appear to have increased pressure on the organization while also prompting retaliatory actions.

Government response marks a new security posture

De la Espriella, who took office in August, has pledged a tougher military response against Colombia’s illegal armed groups.

The Santa Marta deployment is the first major domestic security operation of his administration involving the militarization of a major city. He has also ended peace talks with armed groups that had been initiated under his predecessor, Gustavo Petro.

The president said the government would use the security forces to restore territorial control and protect civilians and businesses.

His government has characterized the ACSN’s actions as an attempt to intimidate civilians and disrupt economic activity.

Those statements describe the government’s position; they do not by themselves establish the group’s broader intentions beyond the attacks and closures documented during the current escalation.

The immediate test is restoring normal activity

By Wednesday, Colombian authorities said they had detained several people suspected of involvement in the violence and continued patrols throughout Santa Marta and surrounding areas.

But the security deployment has not immediately restored normal activity.

Stores and schools remained closed in many areas, while some residents stayed indoors despite government calls to reopen businesses. Public transportation was also affected.

That leaves authorities facing two linked challenges: preventing further attacks and convincing residents and businesses that normal activity can safely resume.

The violence has subsided from its peak, but the continuing security presence and travel warning indicate that authorities still consider the situation fluid.

For Santa Marta, the immediate question is whether the military deployment can prevent further retaliation after the killing of the ACSN leader and restore control over the city’s commercial and transport networks.

Reporting Credit:  Presidency of Colombia — order to reinforce military and police presence in Santa Marta following the ACSN threat; National Police of Colombia — Sept. 21 operation against the ACSN and identification of José Luis Pérez Villanueva; Colombian National Army — deployment and security operations in Santa Marta and surrounding corridors; Colombian Ministry of Defense — expanded deployment figures and security response.

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The Colombian army said two dissident groups from the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, carried out the attack. The groups rejected the peace agreement that the FARC signed with the government a decade ago.

The blast hit a toll plaza on the Pan-American Highway, the main road through the country’s southwest. Two security guards suffered minor injuries, according to the army.

One of the guards told authorities that a person abandoned the vehicle at the toll plaza and fled on a motorcycle.

The road connects the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca. Cali, the capital of Valle del Cauca, hosted de la Espriella’s inauguration on Friday.

During his inaugural speech, the new president outlined a tougher security policy. He warned illegal armed groups that they had two choices: submit to the rule of law or confront government security forces.

After the bombing, soldiers secured the toll plaza and used trained dogs to search for other explosives, the army said. Pieces of the vehicle, including its burned chassis, remained scattered around the site.

The blast also shook nearby homes. Elizabeth Zapata, 57, said the explosion woke her family and shattered their windows. She said relatives who live with several children arrived with pieces of broken glass embedded in their backs.

Cauca Gov. Jorge Octavio Guzmán said the attack appeared aimed at isolating the department and helping armed groups maintain control over thousands of hectares.

“This is not an isolated incident; it is systematic,” Guzmán told reporters.

Transportation Minister Elsa Noguera condemned the bombing. She said authorities were working to restore traffic along the highway.

“Colombia will not kneel before violence, nor will it allow the destruction of the infrastructure that connects our regions,” Noguera wrote on social media.

Government transfers 117 prisoners to maximum-security facilities

Meanwhile, de la Espriella announced the transfer of 117 prisoners linked to peace talks under the previous administration.

The prisoners were moved to eight maximum-security prisons, according to Colombia’s corrections agency. Officials said the measure aims to restore permanent control of the prisons and prevent criminal organizations from coordinating illegal activities from inside them.

De la Espriella has rejected the dialogue with armed groups pursued by his predecessor, Gustavo Petro.

The 48-year-old president had no previous political experience. He is a lawyer and businessperson who narrowly defeated progressive senator Iván Cepeda in a June runoff election.

Cepeda was an ally of Petro, whose government had promoted negotiations with armed groups.

The election took place in a deeply polarized political climate. Petro refused to recognize de la Espriella’s victory and alleged electoral fraud, despite the electoral authority’s official declaration of the result and a positive assessment from international observers.

The bombing now presents an early security challenge for de la Espriella’s government as it seeks to confront armed groups and strengthen state control in parts of the country.

This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press

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