The United States warns its citizens of an armed closure in Santa Marta, Colombia

The US State Department statement stated that the Colombian authorities reported that an illegal armed group announced an armed closure of transportation for a period of 72 hours, the suspension of civil activities, and the imposition of a comprehensive curfew extending until noon on Friday, following a security operation carried out by the Colombian government.

The US State Department explained that the Colombian authorities have strengthened the deployment of military and police forces in the city and on the main roads, warning its citizens that movement on some roads in and around Santa Marta may be subject to delays or restrictions, and that some roads may be unsafe.

The statement indicated that traffic at Simón Bolívar International Airport is proceeding normally, and that the road leading to the airport from Santa Marta and the road towards Barranquilla are currently running safely, but the situation may change quickly. The US State Department advised its citizens to follow official sources to obtain security updates and new information regarding road closures.

The US announcement came in the wake of a severe security crisis in the Colombian city of Santa Marta, located on the Caribbean coast, after the Conquistador Autonomous Forces of Sierra Nevada (ACSN), a group with paramilitary roots funded by drug trafficking and the imposition of royalties, imposed an “armed blockade” of roads following the killing of one of its prominent leaders in a military operation.

At the beginning of the week, Colombian forces announced the killing of José Luis Pérez Villanova, nicknamed “Cholo,” who is described as the group’s second-in-command and responsible for coordinating drug smuggling routes toward Central America, along with 12 of his aides, in a controlled military operation in the Sierra Nevada region.

In response, the armed group announced what it described as an “armed strike” and imposed a curfew in Santa Marta and neighboring municipalities, forcing shops to close and threatening passers-by and vehicle drivers.