Colombia tourist jewel plagued by violence
Armed groups’ extortion and turf wars in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada threaten Indigenous communities and tourism boom.
AI Summary
Colombia's Sierra Nevada National Park, a major tourism destination featuring snow-capped peaks and the historic Lost City, is being destabilized by armed groups extorting local businesses and Indigenous communities. The Self-Defence Forces of the Sierra Nevada (ACSN), composed of former paramilitaries, control cocaine trafficking and illegal gold mining in the region while demanding payment from hotels, tour operators, and Indigenous communities for protection. The violence has escalated to the point where the government temporarily closed the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Tayrona National Park after the ACSN allegedly threatened park rangers.