The U.S. Embassy has issued a security alert for Santa Marta and nearby departments after the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada (ACSN/Los Pachencas) imposed a 72-hour transportation blockade, curfew and shutdown of civilian life. Authorities reported vehicle burnings, armed threats, shootings and attacks on public transport as the group enforced the paro armado. Colombian forces deployed additional Army and police units and used armored vehicles and air support to restore order. President Abelardo De La Espriella has cited Operation Iron in Cali as a template for broader security responses.
U.S. Issues Alert After 72‑Hour Armed Shutdown Imposed by 'Los Pachencas' in Santa Marta
People walk past fences protecting one of the entrances to the Supreme Court in Bogota, Colombia, in mid-August. The Colombian government ordered increased security at the Supreme Court and other judicial buildings across the country following a previous security alert issued by the police after discovering explosives and a model of the Justice Palace in Bogota during an operation. Photo by Carlos Ortega/EPA
Santa Marta, Colombia (Sept. 24) — The U.S. Embassy in Colombia issued a security alert for Santa Marta and nearby areas in the Magdalena and La Guajira departments after an illegal armed group imposed a 72-hour transportation blockade, curfew and suspension of civilian activities.
The embassy identified the group as the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada (ACSN), commonly known as 'Los Pachencas.' The restrictions followed a Colombian security operation against the group, and Colombian authorities have responded by deploying additional Army troops and police units across the affected region.
An 'armed shutdown' (known locally as a paro armado) is a coercive tactic used by illegal armed groups to forcibly restrict travel, commerce and daily life. Unlike lawful strikes or peaceful protests, these shutdowns are enforced through threats and violence.
The embassy said authorities reported multiple violent incidents as the shutdown was enforced, including vehicle burnings, armed intimidation of businesses, shootings and attacks on public and cargo transport. Local outlets La FM and Caracol Noticias reported that a recent security operation killed 13 ACSN members, including a top commander — an operation that appears to have prompted the group's retaliatory blockade.
Government Response
The national government has mounted a large-scale security response: Army and police units have been deployed to patrol streets with armored vehicles and air support. President Abelardo De La Espriella has pursued an intensified national security and urban defense strategy and led 'Operation Iron' in downtown Cali — a coordinated military, police and judicial offensive the government says will serve as a model for restoring control in other contested urban areas.
U.S. Embassy Advisory: U.S. citizens should avoid demonstrations and areas with increased security activity, closely monitor local media and follow instructions from Colombian authorities.
The situation remains fluid. Authorities continue joint patrols and judicial actions aimed at reasserting government control over the affected territory, while urging residents and visitors to remain vigilant and comply with official guidance.
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