A tense standoff on Colombia’s Pan-American Highway turned violent on Wednesday morning as indigenous protesters clashed with security forces in the southwestern department of Cauca. The confrontation culminated in a powerful explosion in the municipality of Cajibío, leaving one person dead and three others injured. The unrest is grounded in growing discontent among indigenous communities over unfulfilled government promises and demands for greater recognition and territorial autonomy.
The unrest began early Wednesday when members of the Misak, Pijao, and Nasa indigenous communities erected blockades along a key stretch of the Pan-American Highway, which connects the regional capital of Popayán with the city of Cali. The protesters had barricaded the highway on Tuesday with sand, tree branches, and other debris, effectively halting traffic and cutting off a vital transportation route for farmers, merchants, and travelers in the region.
According to a news report in Semana, members of the indigenous guard set fire to part of a mountain, resulting in severe burns to several animal species. The indigenous guard announced that they will attend the COP16 biodiversity conference, dubbed Paz con Naturaleza (Peace with Nature), in the departmental capital of Valle del Cauca – Cali – from October 21 to November 1.
The indigenous groups behind the protest are members of the Association of Indigenous Peoples of Southwestern Colombia (AISO), and who declared an indefinite strike in response to what they claim is the national government’s failure to honor agreements made during previous negotiations. The AISO and its supporters are calling for a direct dialogue with President Gustavo Petro to address their demands for the recognition of their traditional authority as a special public entity.
As the blockades continued, the Colombian government deployed the Dialogue and Order Maintenance Unit (Undmo) – former anti-riot squadron ESMAD – to the area in an attempt to negotiate with the protesters and restore order. However, by mid-morning, it became clear that the negotiations had broken down, prompting the authorities to take more forceful action.
In the midst of the standoff, a powerful explosion rocked the El Túnel sector of Cajibío, where some of the most intense clashes were taking place. According to preliminary reports from the National Army, the explosion was caused by a motorcycle loaded with explosives, which detonated during the efforts to clear the road.
The blast resulted in the death of an adult male, whose identity has not yet been confirmed by authorities. Additionally, at least one other person was seriously injured and was rushed to a hospital in Popayán for medical treatment. The explosion also reportedly injured two police officers, although details about their condition remain unclear.
The incident has further flared tensions in the region, with both the indigenous communities and the government trading blame for the violence. Sources within the indigenous movement have accused the government of heavy-handed tactics, while government officials have condemned the use of explosives as a dangerous and unacceptable escalation.
Escalating violence and calls for dialogue
The situation on the ground in Cauca remains volatile, with reports of ongoing confrontations between protesters and security forces. Local media have reported that some demonstrators attempted to set fire to police officers and ignited several fires in the surrounding green areas, as well as burning tires and other flammable materials to prevent the authorities from regaining control of the road.
Cauca’s Secretary of Government, Miller Hurtado, defended the decision to clear the road, stating that all avenues of dialogue had been exhausted before the order was given. Hurtado emphasized that the government remains open to dialogue but cannot allow vital infrastructure to be disrupted indefinitely.
The governor of neighboring Nariño, a department also affected by the roadblock, expressed frustration over the situation, calling the new blockade “inadmissible” and highlighting the severe impact on local farmers and businesses.
The protest in Cauca is part of a broader wave of social protests and road blockades across Colombia, as indigenous and farming communities demand greater autonomy from the national government. Many of these communities feel that the Petro government has failed to live up to its promises, particularly in areas such as land rights, environmental protection, and political representation.
As tensions continue to rise in southwest Colombia, there are growing concerns that the situation could spiral into more widespread violence along other major highways that connect Colombia’s departmental capitals with rural regions. As the AISO indigenous leaders reiterated their call for a direct meeting with President Petro, some 4,000 representatives of the indigenous Minga arrived Wednesday in Bogotá to support the encampment at Parque Nacional and announce that they will remain in the Colombian capital until their demands are met.
