In the context of the First International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, held in Santa Marta, Colombia, from 24 to 29 April 2026, on Monday 27 April a coalition of activists, territorial rights defenders, maritime communities, and allied organisations disrupted operations at Drummond’s coal port in Santa Marta, the largest coal export terminal in Colombia.

The direct action called for an energy embargo on fossil fuel flows that materially sustain genocide, war crimes, and colonial occupation, while urging the creation of an international transition framework grounded in justice and accountability.

The peaceful blockade, for which Pax Christi International expressed its solidarity, mobilised under the slogan “They profit, we pay”. Its aim was to expose the impacts of fossil fuel extraction and trade on both communities and the planet, while demanding a just transition away from fossil fuels.

The Santa Marta Conference represented a call for collective action in a world where fossil fuels are not merely an emissions problem, but also the material infrastructure of war. From Venezuela to Cuba, from Palestine to Iran, the alliance US – Israeli and its partners continue to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity in pursuit of control over fossil fuels, while actively restricting energy supplies to those who refuse to comply.

Colombia’s decision to halt coal exports to Israel has established an indispensable precedent: fossil fuel trade is not neutral, and states can act to prevent their energy exports from materially sustaining mass violence.

There can be no climate transition without global justice. From the framework of Santa Marta, we joined our voices in calling on states to halt the transfer of fossil fuels that materially sustain genocide, war crimes, illegal occupations, and other grave violations of international humanitarian law; to protect communities and Indigenous peoples; to end the criminalisation of land defenders; and to recognise energy sovereignty as a fundamental pillar of a just transition.