After two days of cessation of commercial activities and blockades on the road that leads to the department of La Guajira, the strike by peasants and indigenous people in the Caribbean Trunk came to an end on Thursday afternoon.
The National Government heeded the community’s call and sent a delegate from the Ministry of the Interior, who held a consultation table with the protesters, listening to their requests and concerns. This made it possible to prepare a record with agreements and commitments that will be escalated to the central level.
Mayor Carlos Pinedo He celebrated that, through dialogue, it was possible to lift this protest that generated economic and mobility impacts with the neighboring department of La Guajira.
Pinedo also thanked President Gustavo Petro for his interest in supporting the solution of the social and public order problems suffered by the populations of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
“We are pleased with this space that was generated, which allowed the national government to obtain a clear vision of the panorama in this region and offer the community the state offer to contribute to their tranquility, security and quality of life,” said the mayor. . Pinedo mentioned that, although the strike was infiltrated by some armed actors who took advantage of the situation to sow fear, it was promoted mainly by farmers concerned about the wave of violence that affects them, and who are clamoring for strategies that lead to peace in their territory.
Resumption of peace talks in three weeks
The delegate of the national government wasThe director of Human Rights of the Ministry of the Interior, Franklin Castañeda, who promised to convey the request to resume peace talks with the Conquistadores de la Sierra Self-Defense Forces.
The stores in the neighborhoods of Santa Marta did not open this Wednesday.
Photo:Taken from social networks
In this sense, he announced a meeting in the next three weeks with the High Commissioner for Peace, Otty Patiño, to start a roadmap that will allow dialogues to begin towards Total Peace in the rural area of Santa Marta.
In addition, Castañeda urged the communities not to resort to de facto means of pressure on the National Government.
He reported that the dialogue process will continue on June 22, when the communities will present a proposed agenda to the Vice Minister of Social Dialogue of the Ministry of the Interior. Subsequently, A dialogue table will be installed in Santa Marta, for which the mayor’s office has committed to managing a preparatory space, with the aim of ensuring its success.
The effects of unemployment in Santa Marta
For two days, the northeastern area of Santa Marta seemed like a ghost town. The business remained closed in its entirety due to the civic strike called to attract the attention of the national government.
The authorities confirmed that, although a significant number of citizens voluntarily joined the day of protest, others did so under pressure from armed actors who infiltrated the demonstration and carried out intimidating actions.
The tourists were trapped in the area due to the armed strike.
Photo:Roger Urieles
The cessation of activities was extended to towns such as Minca, Siberia and Palmor, in the Sierra Nevada, and other towns in the north of Magdalena, where the Conquistadores de la Sierra Self-Defense Forces operate. Merchants reported that armed men threatened them so that they would not open their businesses.
The hoteliers of The Troncal area stated that they were left without guests and that reservations for Thursday and Friday were canceled in their entirety.
Some tourists who had to return to their destination faced problems due to the lack of public transportation and road blocks.
Expectations about agreements with the government
Lerber Dimas, expert on violence, He stated that, although the strike was lifted, what happens in the coming weeks regarding compliance with the agreements, especially with regard to the resumption of peace talks, will be crucial to avoid an increase in violence in the Sierra. Nevada and its surroundings.
There is no doubt that the farmers are desperate and tired of living in the middle of the conflict, hence their decision to protest for as long as necessary. It is important that the Government keeps its word and effectively addresses this problem of violence.
“There is no doubt that the farmers are desperate and tired of living in the middle of the conflict, hence their decision to protest for as long as necessary. It is important that the Government keeps its word and effectively addresses this problem of violence,” said Dimas.
The human rights defender added that President Gustavo Petro is underestimating the armed groups of the Sierra Nevada, whichwho have demonstrated their power through the strike with the military governance that was evident. Dimas suggested that the government should have sent a minister, rather than a mid-ranking delegate without decision-making power.
“Local and national authorities must agree and work towards the same purpose, which is to guarantee security and public order in this territory hit for so many years by illegal structures,” Dimas pointed out.
This Friday, Santa Marta apparently returned to normalwith high expectations about the promised state attention to improve the quality of life of these historically forgotten communities.
SANTA MARTA
