Colombia prioritizes security in La Guajira and Bolívar as Caribbean nations seek sargassum solutions

The Colombian government has identified La Guajira and southern Bolívar as priority security zones following recent regional safety councils. Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara reported that these areas face significant threats from armed groups, including the ELN, Clan del Golfo, and ‘los Pachencas’. In La Guajira, concerns focus on the Riohacha-Dibulla and Riohacha-Maicao road corridors and the border region. In Bolívar, specifically the Serranía de San Lucas and areas along the Magdalena River, the government is addressing illegal gold mining, which is estimated to generate approximately $4 trillion in illicit rents.

To combat these issues, the government plans to strengthen security infrastructure, implement anti-drone systems, and install surveillance cameras in critical municipalities.

Separately, during a meeting of the Association of Caribbean States (AEC) in Venezuela, Science and Technology Minister Yván Gil Pinto called for regional scientific cooperation to address the sargassum crisis. Attributed to climate change, the seaweed influx is impacting fishing, navigation, and tourism across the Caribbean. The minister urged member nations to move beyond theoretical diagnoses toward pragmatic international cooperation and concrete action plans to be presented at an upcoming event in Cancun, Mexico.