Colombia’s president sends troops to a Caribbean city after an outburst of violence

Live updates

1. 49m ago

   Colombia Deploys Troops to Santa Marta After Armed Shutdown

   Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella deployed troops to the Caribbean resort city of Santa Marta following an outburst of violence. Troops patrolled unusually empty streets after a criminal group shut down parts of the city and the Caribbean coast. Residents in a northeastern working-class neighborhood queued outside the few open supermarkets. The United States issued a security alert regarding the armed shutdown, while the U.S. Embassy in Colombia reported increased security presence and disruptions on September 23, 2026.

   Why it matters

   The deployment follows an armed shutdown executed by a drug-trafficking crime group known as ACSN. This criminal action paralyzed parts of the Caribbean coast and forced the closure of normal commercial life in Santa Marta. The heavy military intervention highlights the severe security challenges facing regional authorities from organized drug trafficking factions.

   What is confirmed

   • Colombia's president sent troops to the Caribbean city of Santa Marta following an outburst of violence.
   • The United States issued a security alert over an armed shutdown in Colombia.
   • The U.S. Embassy in Colombia noted increased security presence and disruptions in Santa Marta on September 23, 2026.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The outburst of violence and city shutdown were carried out by an ACSN crime group.

   What to watch next

   • Further updates from the Colombian government on military control in Santa Marta
   • Subsequent security advisories from the U.S. Embassy regarding travel to the Caribbean coast
   Sources used for this update (6)

   1. AP News — Colombia’s president sends troops to a Caribbean city after an outburst of violence
   2. The New York Times — Colombia’s President Wears Gun to Santa Marta, City Shut Down by a Criminal Group
   3. Yahoo — U.S. issues security alert over armed shutdown in Colombia
   4. U.S. Embassy in Colombia (.gov) — Security Alert: Increased Security Presence and Disruptions in Santa Marta (September 23, 2026)
   5. Colombia Reports — ACSN crime group shuts down parts of Colombia’s Caribbean coast
   6. kahawatungu.com — Colombia’s president sends troops to a Caribbean city after an outburst of violence
   confidence 90%