Colombia technical infrastructure failures

Colombia has experienced significant disruptions to critical national infrastructure due to technical failures. In October 2026, the Colombian Tax and Customs Authority (DIAN) suffered a nationwide outage of its electronic information services. DIAN attributed the disruption to an external electrical failure involving a local transformer in Bogotá. The National Association of Foreign Trade (Analdex) noted that this paralysis exacerbated intermittent issues reported by users over the preceding two months.

In November 2026, a technical failure in radar visualization systems at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá caused major air traffic disruptions. A radar display failure at the Air Traffic Control Centre on November 4 resulted in 79 flight cancellations and 97 delays. While normal operations were restored, the incident intensified scrutiny of the nation’s aging air navigation infrastructure.

The Procuraduría General de la Nación has raised concerns regarding the fragility of the national air surveillance network, noting that eight of the country’s 14 radar systems were out of service. The Office of the Inspector General previously highlighted delayed modernization projects and difficulties in obtaining spare parts for obsolete equipment. In response, President Abelardo De La Espriella announced a modernization plan involving an investment of one trillion pesos, and the government is moving to formalize a $300 million loan from the CAF to support a program targeting 67 aeronautical stations.

This technical instability coincides with record-breaking passenger demand. According to a report by Bancolombia’s Grupo Cibest, Colombian airports handled 51.4 million passengers in the twelve months leading to August 2026, placing increased pressure on airport facilities.