More than 30 Colombian and foreign tourists are stuck in the northwestern corner of Colombia after locals went on strike. According to a strike leader, the tourists are not being held against their will.
Thirty-two tourists got stuck in the Uraba region after strikers shut down public transport connecting the remote part of Colombia with the rest of the country.
Colombian security forces were sent to Capurgana in the Acandi municipality to make sure the stuck tourists are able to leave the Caribbean beach area and blame the strikers of retaining the tourists.
In an interview with W Radio, one of the strike leaders admitted the tourists were affected by the fact there is no transport connecting the municipality to the rest of Colombia, but denied the strikers were disallowing the visitors their freedom of movement.
“The strike organizers have taken care, because these people have food and are comfortable. While the police say we have them kidnapped, they say the opposite,” Emilio Petruz told the radio station.
Nevertheless, the Government Secretary of the Choco department, responsible for public order in the region, said “there was a difficulty because yesterday tourists were leaving and they wouldn’t let them.”
The locals went on strike to force the government to provide basic services and improve their access to electricty, potable water, health services and education.