Police arrested five people in June during operations targeting extortionists in several Barranquilla neighborhoods [1].
The wave of criminal activity threatens the city's economic stability by forcing small business owners to shut down their operations permanently. These closures disrupt local employment and reduce the availability of essential services in residential areas.
Law enforcement targeted the neighborhoods of El Bosque, Los Olivos, San Roque, and La Luz during the raids [1]. The operations were a response to increasing reports of extortion targeting local merchants, which has created a climate of fear across the Atlántico department.
Orlando Jiménez, president of the Unión Nacional de Comerciantes for the Atlántico chapter, said the crisis is severe. According to reports, more than 500 businesses have closed over the last seven years due to extortion [2].
Much of this criminal activity is linked to a practice known as "gota a gota," a predatory lending system that often evolves into extortion [3]. Under this system, lenders provide quick cash but use threats and violence to collect payments at usurious rates.
Local authorities and the Defensoría del Pueblo said they are concerned over the scale of the problem. The persistent nature of these crimes has led to a push for more formal credit alternatives to prevent merchants from relying on illegal lenders [3].
While the recent arrests of five individuals mark a tactical victory for the police [1], the long-term closure of hundreds of shops suggests a systemic failure to protect the city's commercial sector. The Unión Nacional de Comerciantes continues to advocate for stronger security measures to prevent further business collapses [2].
“More than 500 businesses have closed over the last seven years due to extortion.”
The scale of business closures in Barranquilla indicates that extortion has moved beyond isolated incidents to become a structural economic threat. The reliance on 'gota a gota' loans creates a cycle of debt and violence that official police raids may not fully resolve without a corresponding increase in accessible, formal financial credit for small vendors.
