What has happened in Vaupes, Colombia?

For almost a month a department of Colombia, Vaupés, was completely disconnected from the internet and cellular data from the rest of the country. Vaupés has a large geographical limitation compared to other departments since they do not have land routes that allow internet access to other departments, they only have a river or air transportation from San José del Guaviare, Villavicencio, and Bogotá.

From 2015 onwards, a project called the National High-Speed ​​Connectivity Project began, aimed at the Amazon, Orinoquia, and Pacific. Which consisted of connecting the zone to the internet through microwave towers. However, the entire Amazon has also been a corridor for illegal forces (guerrillas, dissidents, paramilitaries, micro-trafficking).

"We have been without internet access for 18 days, that is, we cannot call, nor do we have social networks, and worst of all, there is no access to navigation in most public institutions, since ANDIRED is the operator of those towers and ended up making agreements with CLARO, MOVISTAR and another company called TELING. And they don't have strong satellite backups", says Liliana Hernández, our Partner for the Vaupés project.

She says the hardest part is that many young people have not been able to study remotely and that is affecting them quite a bit. Also, for the people who are in the interior of the country, it is difficult to communicate with their families, and as for the government, workers aren't able to work or send reports.

This is true, as educational institutions that had day and night shifts have been affected, and cannot connect to the Internet. The Ministry of Information and Technology (TIC) doesn't give further information. They communicated in a statement about the causes of the damaged tower that it was a "vandalization of the tower perpetrated by one of the indigenous leaders of Puerto Córdoba". However, they don't have profs of this affirmation and say it is a matter outside the Ministry of TIC and Andi Red, the company that operates the tower.

What do people think...

Some people are trying to bring attention to this issue through Twitter, like Jonathan González (@jonth87) that says "#vaupesincommunicado #sosvaupes until when will we continue to be the backyard... Being the potential of life"

A computer science professor from one of Vaupés schools, says people can't make payments or withdrawals through their online banks because they don't have internet. "Vaupés is hidden from the eyes of the government", states.

It is fixed, but will it happen again?

The reparation of the tower took place the same week Gustavo Petro took his position as president. It required the efforts of Andi Red itself, the National Army, and the TIC Ministry. Since this past Saturday, the Vaupés connectivity "works optimally and the national government sought socialization to solve these acts of vandalism", said TIC Ministry in public communication. Many people hope the arrival of Petro to the Presidency means this kind of issue will be fixed in the Vaupés department.  

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