Defensoría del Pueblo issues early warning for five Atlantic department municipalities facing violent criminal disputes
The Defensoría del Pueblo issued Early Warning 019 of 2026, identifying Luruaco, Repelón, Sabanalarga, Baranoa, and Polonuevo as high-risk areas due to the territorial dispute between various armed criminal structures. These groups, including the Clan del Golfo, Los Costeños, and Los Pepes, are competing for control of a strategic corridor connecting the Barranquilla Metropolitan Area with the Dique Canal and the departments of Bolívar and Magdalena. The region is experiencing significant increases in homicide rates, particularly in Sabanalarga and Baranoa. In Sabanalarga, the homicide rate nearly quadrupled between 2023 and 2025, while in Baranoa, it increased more than 11 times during the same period. Additionally, the Defensoría del Pueblo warned that homicides against women in the subregion quintupled between 2023 and 2024. The Defensoría del Pueblo noted that illegal armed groups are exercising
Sources
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Alcaldes del Atlántico, bajo amenaza: denuncian que ofrecen $5 millones por matar a un mandatario y Defensoría alerta riesgos en cinco municipios
El Tiempo
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Población de la subregión Centro del Atlántico debe ser protegida ante presencia de estructuras armadas
defensoria.gov.co
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Defensoría alerta por presencia de grupos armados en cinco municipios del Atlántico
Caracol Radio
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Los cinco municipios del centro del Atlántico que están en alerta por conflictos entre grupos criminales
ELHERALDO.CO