Ofrecimos helicóptero para controladores: gob. Santander por bloqueos cerca de aeropuerto Palonegro
April 10, 2026·6 min
The episode opens with host Néstor Morales interviewing Santander Governor Juvenal Díaz about ongoing blockades near Palonegro Airport that are preventing both passengers and airport staff from reaching the facility. Díaz explains he has offered the governor's helicopter to transport air traffic controllers and technicians to restore airport operations. He clarifies that while the airport is privately operated by Aeropuertos del Oriente, it requires Civil Aviation authorization, and the airport manager believes operations can resume once controllers are in place. Morales questions why public force hasn't been used to clear the illegal blockades, to which Díaz responds that national authorities control protest intervention protocols and decisions about using police or military force. The governor mentions additional blockades in Pinchote and on the road to Piedecuesta. Morales highlights the contradiction of flying in controllers while passengers remain stranded, and Díaz describes how some passengers walked kilometers to bypass blockades. Díaz shifts to criticizing the national government for failing to deliver on promised infrastructure funding, specifically mentioning the San Gil variant road project and resources for the Bucaramanga-Barbosa route. He argues the right to protest must be matched by the right to be heard, suggesting political dimensions to the crisis. The interview concludes with Díaz calling for national attention to the protesters' grievances about property tax increases.
