Colombia's Conpes 4205 airport plan omits Barranquilla hub, prompting regional upgrade push

Governor Eduardo Verano of Atlántico criticized that the national Conpes 4205 investment plan, which earmarks 6.54 trillion pesos for airport upgrades between 2026 and 2035, left the Ernesto Cortissoz Airport in Barranquilla out of the priority list. He urged President‑elect Abelardo De la Espriella to review the document and include the airport to preserve Caribbean connectivity and support Barranquilla’s role as a logistics hub.

In Santa Marta, regional officials, CAF representatives and the concessionaire Aeropuertos de Oriente reviewed progress on the Simón Bolívar International Airport expansion, also covered by Conpes 4205. They discussed financing, technical, environmental and administrative steps needed to enlarge the runway and meet growing passenger demand, emphasizing the project’s importance for tourism and economic development in the Colombian Caribbean.