Colombia will lose the Amazon!

The Amazon River is changing its course, and with it, the destiny of Colombia.

Colombia’s recent dispute with Perú over sovereignty over Santa Rosa Island has raised alarm bells about a much deeper problem: the risk that Leticia, Colombia’s main Amazonian port, could be cut off from the river by 2030.

Instead of getting bogged down in a conflict with Perú, Gustavo Petro’s government should prioritize technical and coordinated investments to preserve Colombia’s access to the Amazon, a vital resource for the economy, culture, and national sovereignty.

Santa Rosa Island, which emerged in the Amazon River decades after the 1934 Rio de Janeiro Protocol, is the epicenter of the current tension between the two countries.

This treaty establishes that the border follows the deepest channel of the river, but the river’s dynamics have changed.

Studies by the National University of Colombia and the Colombian Navy warn that 81% of the Amazon’s water currently flows through the Peruvian side, leaving only 19% through the Colombian branches.

If this trend continues, Leticia could lose its direct connection to the river, affecting its commercial activity and strategic importance.

Santiago Duque, an expert from the National University, has said that Colombia must invest in works to correct the river’s course, such as dredging or interventions to balance the flow between the Colombian and Peruvian branches.

Peru’s decision to declare Santa Rosa a district in June 2025 is being used by Petro to start a conflict, but the real problem isn’t just the island itself, but the Colombian government’s lack of action regarding the displacement of the Amazon River.

The Petro government should allocate resources to a comprehensive Amazon management plan, and not get bogged down in a potentially serious international conflict.

The Amazon is an economic and ecological pillar for Colombia.

Losing access to the river would be a catastrophe that no patriotic rhetoric can compensate for.

The rhetoric of sovereignty, while important, fails to address the root of the problem: the natural dynamics of the Amazon, exacerbated by drought, deforestation, and climate change.

It’s true that the dispute over Santa Rosa has sovereignty implications that cannot be ignored; but escalating the conflict without a technical plan for the river is like putting out a fire with gasoline.

Colombia should engage in bilateral dialogue with Peru to coordinate actions that benefit both countries.

For example, reducing the flow on the Peruvian side could mitigate riverbank erosion, while increasing the flow on the Colombian side would prevent the sedimentation that threatens Leticia.

The future of the Colombian Amazon is in danger, and time is running out. Colombia has the opportunity to transform this crisis into a joint solution with Peru, prioritizing investment in the river over confrontation.

Protecting Leticia’s access to the Amazon is a matter of survival for Amazonian communities.

However, Gustavo Petro opts for a conflict against Peru, which could escalate into an armed conflict… which Petro would use to justify suspending the upcoming elections, seeking to remain in power.