By Natalia Rueda 
The indigenous Wayuu people of La Guajira, a department in the far northern region of Colombia, have long suffered from government neglect and abuse. Despite its wealth in natural resources, the majority (51%) of the department’s population lives in poverty and the situation has only been exacerbated by the lack of public investment and the institutionally weak governance.
In La Guajira, an alarming number of children die each year due to rampant malnutrition. Despite a ruling passed by the Colombian Constitutional Court, demanding institutions guarantee food, water, and health to Wayuu Indigenous people — who suffer the most under La Guajira’s poverty and a semi-desert climate — millions still live below the poverty line.
In the past year alone, at least 34 indigenous children have died from acute malnutrition due to poverty and inadequate access to healthcare. Despite this alarming death toll, the disturbing reality is that it is only the tip of the iceberg. Just this month, the most recent governor was suspended due to alleged irregularities and the department has gone without a mayor for the past year. Moreover, the region’s government has changed hands an astonishing 15 times in just 8 years – a constant flux that only serves to erode the already weak sense of trust between the Wayuu people and the Colombian government.
People living in La Guajira are crying out for help from the politicians campaigning there, those who they feel have forgotten about them once in office. They have been left alone to face the harrowing effects of starvation, with many local families doing all they can to manage the devastation poverty brings.
It is therefore of utmost importance that President Gustavo Petro address this alarming state of affairs on his visit this week. The Colombian government must invest in efforts to improve access to basic services, health care, food, and clean water among the region’s impoverished population. Additionally, initiatives must be invested to create transparent regional governance that can build a trusting relationship between the Wayuu people and the Colombian government. Without concrete steps taken to alleviate this ongoing crisis, Colombia’s most vulnerable population will continue to suffer.