Chocó Canal Project & Indigenous Territories: A Story of Resilience
A renewed push to construct the Atrato-Truandó interoceanic canal in Colombia is facing resistance from ethnic communities in the Chocó region, who fear the project will threaten their communal lands and cultural heritage. The proposal, which envisions connecting the Atrato and Truandó rivers to both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, has resurfaced with reported interest from the Chinese government.
The Atrato-Truandó canal has been considered for over a century, with initial studies dating back to the colonial era. According to the Comisión de la Verdad, the project aims to create a 140-kilometer-long waterway, 28 meters deep and 150 meters wide, offering a potential alternative to the Panama Canal. A 1964 law, Ley 50, authorized feasibility studies during the government of Guillermo León Valencia, but the law expired without resulting in construction. Further legislative efforts followed in 1984 with Ley 53 under Belisario Betancourt, which prohibited foreign investment in the project, but also failed to materialize into a completed canal. Subsequent administrations, including those of Virgilio Barco, Ernesto Samper, Álvaro Uribe Vélez, and Juan Manuel Santos, have also considered the project.
Concerns center on the potential impact on the Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities who call the region home. Anthropologist Jaime Arocha Rodríguez, writing in Cambio magazine, highlighted the anxieties surrounding the project, noting a recent objection to the potential appointment of Indigenous leader Aida Quilcué as vice president, framing it as racially motivated. Arocha argues that the canal project echoes a historical pattern of prioritizing development over the rights and well-being of marginalized communities.
Recent reporting details the lives of families in the region, illustrating their deep connection to the land and its resources. One account describes a farmer, Tomás, carefully managing his land, including utilizing earthworm castings from ant colonies as fertilizer for his crops. This traditional knowledge, Arocha suggests, is often overlooked by conventional agricultural practices. The story underscores the potential loss of these sustainable practices and the cultural knowledge embedded within them should the canal project proceed.
The Sociedad Geográfica de Colombia has documented numerous studies and proposals related to the canal dating back to 1958, demonstrating the long-standing interest in the project. However, the current revival of the plan, particularly with potential Chinese investment, has reignited fears among local communities. The government of Gustavo Petro initially promoted a rail project to connect the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, but has since shifted focus towards the canal proposal.
As of March 24, 2026, no recent feasibility studies have been publicly announced, but the concerns of ethnic communities remain unresolved. Arocha’s commentary emphasizes the need for state protection of communal lands and cultures, such as the Afrobaudoseña, whereas the future of the Atrato-Truandó canal remains uncertain.