The railway tracks of La Guajira are once again the scene of tension. For a week, various blockades have paralyzed the transportation of coal to Puerto Bolívar, directly affecting the operations of Cerrejón, one of the main mining companies in the country.
Faced with this situation, the company announced that it had to progressively reduce its production while seeking peaceful solutions to the conflict.
“Cerrejón calls on all those involved in these de facto avenues to resolve their differences through dialogue, avoiding actions that affect not only the company, but also the workers, neighboring communities and the economic development of the region,” the company said in a statement.
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The protests, which are concentrated in the upper part of the department, respond mostly to claims from indigenous communities who claim not to have been listened to by local authorities, despite the commitments made in previous dialogue tables. Since October 8, there have been simultaneous demonstrations along the railway line, which prevented the normal transit of the trains that transport coal from the mines to the port, generating accumulated delays in exports and alterations in the logistics chain.
The discomfort is not limited to a single point on the map. In Maicao, for example, relatives of a man who lost his life in a traffic accident on Tuesday, October 14, blocked the Maicao–Cuatro Vías road demanding justice and institutional support. Meanwhile, at kilometer 65 of the Río Palomino highway, Riohacha, students and residents of the sector blocked the road to demand that the Riohacha mayor’s office guarantee school transportation, a need that, according to them, has been ignored for months and that directly affects the academic continuity of children in the rural area.
The figures clearly reflect the magnitude of the problem and the frequency of tensions. In 2024 alone, 333 blockades were recorded that prevented the transportation of coal for 135 days, paralyzing a good part of productive activity.
This year, to date, there have already been 152 demonstrations that stopped the operation for 73 days, which represents million-dollar losses for the company and a significant impact on the income of hundreds of families that depend on mining activity directly and indirectly. In addition, according to sector sources, the constant interruption in shipments also threatens export commitments with international partners.
The social context in which these protests occur is complex and dates back years. In La Guajira, tensions between the communities and the State are historic, fueled by the lack of public investment, problems with access to water and the precariousness of basic services that persist even in productive areas.
The railway line, which connects the mining heart with the port, became a symbol of power and claim, Blocking it is a way to make yourself heard in a territory where solutions seem to come slowly and where broken promises are part of the daily landscape.
Faced with this situation, the company insists on dialogue as the only viable path. Cerrejón reiterates that it keeps communication channels open with community leaders and that it seeks spaces for consultation that avoid further damage. It also requested the intervention of the authorities to guarantee the free mobility and safety of its workers, while recalling that the roads in fact put both the operation and regional stability at risk.
The impact of the blockades is not limited to the mining sector. In municipalities such as Albania, Barrancas, Maicao, Hatonuevo and Uribia, where many of the company’s employees reside, interruptions in operations translate into job uncertainty, reduced income and economic impacts. direct in small local businesses.
Not in vain, a month ago, residents of these towns went out to march to demand an end to the closures of the railway. “Every blockade means hunger and backwardness for our people,” said one of the protesters during the day.
