Municipal authorities in San José del Guaviare decreed a curfew and restricted motorcycle passenger use starting May 15, 2024 [1].
These measures follow an escalation of violence between dissident armed groups, which has disrupted the security of the capital of the Guaviare department. The instability threatens the safety of civilians and restricts the movement of thousands of residents in the region.
According to reports, the security crisis is driven by conflicts between the Mordisco and Calarcá dissident factions [2]. The expansion of the Calarcá-led group into various points of Guaviare, including Calamar, has triggered these combat operations with Mordisco [2].
In response to the volatility, officials ordered the confinement of approximately 10,000 people [2]. The municipal government, known as the Alcaldía, implemented the curfew to restore public order and mitigate the risk of further civilian casualties during the inter-group warfare [1].
"The authorities of San José del Guaviare decreed a curfew in the city, starting Monday, May 15," municipal authorities said [1].
Beyond the curfew, the ban on motorcycle passengers is intended to limit the mobility of armed combatants who often use such vehicles to navigate urban and rural areas quickly. The combination of confinement and hourly restrictions represents a significant effort by the local government to isolate the combat zones from the general population [1], [2].
“Authorities ordered the confinement of approximately 10,000 people.”
The imposition of a curfew and mass confinement reflects the precarious security situation in Colombia's periphery, where dissident groups fight for territorial control. When local governments resort to confinement for 10,000 citizens, it indicates that the state's ability to provide security is currently secondary to the tactical movements of armed factions, effectively placing the civilian population in a state of siege to prevent collateral damage.
