How the Community Action Board of Bolívar Was Born

El barrio Bolívar: a piece of Santa Marta's working-class history

If you walk through the streets of el barrio Bolívar in Santa Marta today, you see two-story houses, corner stores, and motorcycles parked in front of doors. But behind this everyday landscape lies a story of sweat, community pots, and neighbors who organized to get the basics: water, light, and a decent street. The Community Action Board of Bolívar was not born in an office or by decree. It was born on a street corner, under a mango tree, when a group of workers and housewives decided they were tired of promises.

To understand how that Board came about, you have to go back to the late 1960s. Santa Marta was growing without planning. El barrio Bolívar, originally known as "El Pantano" (The Swamp) due to the flood-prone land where it was settled, was a collection of wooden and zinc shacks. Families displaced from the countryside, fishermen leaving the sea, and railroad workers looking for cheap lots arrived. There was no aqueduct, street lighting was a luxury, and the streets turned into mud pits with every downpour.

The first steps: a meeting under the mango tree

The year was 1972. A man named Don Pedro Martínez, a bricklayer by trade and a natural leader, began gathering the neighbors on Sundays after mass. They sat on wooden benches in front of Doña Rosa's store. The complaint was always the same: the municipality wasn't coming. "If we don't organize, no one will pay us any attention," Don Pedro would repeat. And so, in one of those informal meetings, the idea of forming a Community Action Board was born.

The legal framework had existed since 1958, but in Santa Marta few neighborhoods had put it into practice. Don Pedro and five other neighbors — including Don Manuel Jiménez, a carpenter, and Doña Carmen Torres, a leader among the neighborhood mothers — went to the civic center to ask how it was done. They were asked for a census, a founding charter, and approval from the Mayor's Office. It wasn't easy. Officials looked at them with distrust. "You're from El Pantano, that's no man's land," they told them. But they insisted.

On August 15, 1973, with 47 signatures from neighbors, the Community Action Board of el barrio Bolívar was legally constituted. Its first president was Don Pedro Martínez. The first treasurer, Don Manuel Jiménez. The first board member, Doña Carmen Torres. They had no headquarters, not even a notebook. The minutes were written on sheets of school notebook paper that Doña Rosa kept under the counter of her store.

Milestones of the neighborhood struggle: water, light, and pavement

The Board wasted no time. Within three months of its founding, they had sent a letter to the then-mayor requesting a meeting. The response took six months. Meanwhile, the neighbors dug a community well at Calle 15 with Carrera 8. That well, which still exists, walled up, was the first real achievement: water for washing and cooking without walking two kilometers.

The battle for electricity

In 1975, the neighborhood was still in the dark. The Board organized a symbolic "candlelight vigil": all the neighbors turned off their gas lamps and sat on the main street with lit candles. A journalist from the local newspaper El Informador covered the event. The photo of children and grandparents sitting on the ground, candles in hand, made the front page. The pressure worked. In December of that year, the power company installed the first light poles. Don Pedro used to say that no one slept that night: they stayed watching the light bulb as if it were a Christmas tree.

Pavement: the toughest achievement

Paving the streets was the most ambitious project. The Board got the Mayor's Office to donate the materials, but the labor was provided by the neighbors. For six months, on Saturdays and Sundays, men and women mixed cement with shovels. The women made sancocho (a traditional stew) to feed the crew. One of the most emblematic photos in the neighborhood's history shows a group of neighbors in sweaty shirts, smiling in front of a newly paved stretch of street. That photo, still preserved in the Jiménez family home, is the Board's pride.

By 1980, el barrio Bolívar had running water, electricity, and three paved streets. It wasn't much, but for them, it was everything.

The current Board: between bureaucracy and memory

Today, the Community Action Board of Bolívar continues to function, though with different challenges. Its headquarters is at Carrera 7 with Calle 12, a community hall painted green and white. Meetings are no longer under the mango tree, but around a plastic table with stackable chairs. The current leaders are the children and grandchildren of those founders. Doña Marta Jiménez, Don Manuel's daughter, has been the secretary since 2015. "My father taught me that the Board is the voice of the neighborhood," she says while organizing the receipts for membership dues.

But it's not all nostalgia. The current Board faces modern problems: insecurity, lack of sports spaces for young people, and the cost of maintaining the community hall. Assemblies no longer gather 50 people like before; sometimes barely 15 show up. "People have become more individualistic," laments Doña Marta. "But when there's an emergency, like the sewer blockage last year, the Board becomes the center again."

A curious fact that few know: the Board of Bolívar was one of the first in Santa Marta to demand the installation of a CAI (Immediate Attention Center) police station. That was in 1992, after several muggings at the neighborhood entrance. Today that CAI is still there, though many neighbors don't even know it was an achievement of the Board.

Lessons for the present: what does history teach us?

The story of the Community Action Board of Bolívar is not a pretty tale from the past. It is a living lesson for any neighborhood that wants to organize. The first lesson: unity is born from necessity, not from theory. Those neighbors didn't read leadership manuals; they simply came together because they were thirsty and in the dark.

The second lesson: perseverance overcomes bureaucracy. The Board waited months, sometimes years, for responses. But they never stopped writing letters, holding meetings, and applying pressure. They didn't give up when the mayor ignored them or when the councilman made promises and didn't keep them.

The third lesson: memory is a political weapon. The archive photos, the yellowed minutes, and the testimonies of the founders are more than memories: they are proof that the neighborhood exists and has rights. That's why the current Board is digitizing its documents with help from students at the Universidad del Magdalena. They want young people to know that the pavement they walk on didn't fall from the sky.

How to get to and transportation in el barrio Bolívar

El barrio Bolívar is located in the southeastern part of Santa Marta, near the public market and the Bus Terminal. Getting there is simple:

• By city bus: Take any route that says "Bolívar" or "Mercado" from the city center. Carrera 1 with Calle 11 is the main stop. The fare is around $2,500 COP (reference price as of June 2026).
• By mototaxi: From Parque de los Novios, the trip costs between $5,000 and $7,000 COP. Ask to be dropped off at the neighborhood sports court or at the Board's headquarters.
• By private car: From the Troncal del Caribe highway, take the road towards the market and turn at the San Judas Tadeo church. The neighborhood has narrow streets, so it's better to park at the entrance.

What to do in el barrio Bolívar today

Visiting el barrio Bolívar is not a conventional tourist outing, but it's worth it if you're interested in the social history of Santa Marta. Here are some ideas:

• Visit the Board's headquarters: If you coordinate with Doña Marta (ask at the corner store), they can show you the historical archive with photos from the 1970s.
• Walk the founding streets: Walk along Calle 15, where the community well was located, and Carrera 8, the first paved street. You'll notice the commemorative plaques placed by the neighbors.
• Eat at Doña Rosa's store: Although she has passed away, her daughter keeps the business running. They sell egg empanadas and corozo juice for $2,000 COP each.
• Attend a neighborhood assembly: Ask at the headquarters when the next monthly meeting is. It's open to the public and you'll see grassroots democracy in action.

Where to eat or drink nearby

El barrio Bolívar doesn't have gourmet restaurants, but it does have authentic and affordable options:

• "El Sabor de Bolívar" Eatery: At Carrera 7 with Calle 13. They offer executive lunches (bandeja paisa, fish sancocho) starting at $12,000 COP. Open Monday to Saturday, 11am-3pm.
• "La Esquina" Fried Food Stand: At the neighborhood entrance, they sell arepas de huevo, butifarras, and chuzos (skewers). A chuzo costs $8,000 COP. Open from 5pm to 10pm.
• "Donde la Negra" Store: It's more of a neighborhood bar. They sell cold beer and rum at popular prices. Beers cost $3,500 COP each. The atmosphere is relaxed, with vallenato and salsa music.

Local tips for visiting el barrio Bolívar

• Bring cash: In the neighborhood, most stores don't accept credit cards or Nequi. The nearest ATMs are at the public market, a 10-minute walk away.
• Visit during daytime hours: The neighborhood is safe during the day, but as in any popular area of Santa Marta, it's best not to walk alone after 8pm.
• Talk to the elderly neighbors: The grandparents who still live there, like Don Luis (80 years old, lives on Calle 12), will tell you stories that aren't in any book. Ask them about "the year of the well" or "the night of the candles."
• Respect the community space: The Board's headquarters is not a museum; it's a workplace. If you want to take photos of the documents, ask for permission first.
• Buy from local stores: Supporting the neighborhood's economy is the best way to thank them for their hospitality. A pack of cookies or a soda bought at the corner store helps more than you think.

Frequently asked questions

When exactly was the Community Action Board of Bolívar founded?

The Board was legally constituted on August 15, 1973, although informal meetings began in 1972. The original founding charter, signed by 47 neighbors, is preserved at the Board's headquarters.

Who was the first president of the Board?

The first president was Don Pedro Martínez, a bricklayer by trade. He served as president for two consecutive terms (1973-1977) and then continued as an honorary board member until his death in 1998. His portrait hangs in the Board's headquarters.

How can I help preserve the neighborhood's history?

If you have photos, letters, or documents from the Board from the 1970s or 1980s, you can contact the current secretary, Doña Marta Jiménez, at the Board's headquarters (Carrera 7 with Calle 12). They are digitizing the entire archive with support from the Universidad del Magdalena. You can also donate a voluntary fee to maintain the community hall. Every bit helps ensure the memory is not lost.

Is there an annual event commemorating the Board's founding?

Yes, every August 15th, "Board Day" is celebrated with a mass at the San Judas Tadeo church, followed by a community gathering with sancocho and music. It's a perfect occasion to meet the current leaders and hear anecdotes from the founders.

If you have photos or documents from the Board from the 1970s, write to us to help digitize the history of Bolívar. The neighborhood's memory must not be lost.