History of Fonseca

diseases. They moved to a dryer place on what is supposedly the present-day main plaza of Fonseca. José Agustín Parodi Ovalle was a captain in the Spanish military and arrived by orders of the Spanish monarchy.

In 1773 the settlement of Fonseca was registered as jurisdiction of the Province of Santa Marta. On June 13, 1829 Fonseca became a municipality of the Intendencia of La Guajira by Decree 1954. Fonseca became a municipality of the Department of La Guajira in 1954.

Colombian armed conflict

Since the 1970s Barrancas has been influenced by the Colombian armed conflict because of its strategic location between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the Serrania del Perija mountain ranges and the border with Venezuela. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) through its Caribbean Bloc's 59th, 19th and 41st fronts and the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla Gustavo Palmesano Front have practiced selective assassinations, kidnappings, extortion, forced recruitment, town sieges, arms and illegal drugs trafficking among others against the Colombian government and the civilian population.

The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) appeared in the area in the early 2000s led by alias Jorge 40. After a violent presence in the area but also dissipating the guerrillas presence, the AUC demobilized in 2006