Why might Colombia be of interest to Elon Musk for installing a SpaceX base? La Guajira offers Puerto Bolívar and joins Antioquia.

News The governor Jairo Aguilar highlighted the region's geographical and logistical advantages. For now, there are no agreements with the company. Several officials have proposed to the magnate building spaceports. Photo: EFE/ EL TIEMPO Archive REPORTER 11.11.2026 07:45 Updated: 11.11.2026 07:45 Colombia adds a new proposal to attract SpaceX, Elon Musk's aerospace company. The governor of La Guajira, Jairo Aguilar, publicly invited the businessman to study Puerto Bolívar as a possible location for a space base, an initiative that joins the offer made by Antioquia to develop launch facilities in Urabá. The invitation was disseminated through the departmental leader's X account, who highlighted the geographical conditions and the logistical infrastructure available in Alta Guajira as arguments for considering the territory in future aerospace projects. "As governor of La Guajira, I invite SpaceX to explore Puerto Bolívar," Aguilar stated in a post originally written in English. READ ALSO The official also mentioned President Abelardo De La Espriella and expressed the department's willingness to promote an initiative that allows Colombia to position itself within the Latin American space industry. "Low latitude, favorable launch azimuth, dry climate all year, and port, rail, and airport infrastructure. With President Abelardo De La Espriella, we are ready to build the gateway for Latin America to the stars." However, the offer corresponds to a public invitation. To date, no agreements, investments, or commitments from SpaceX have been announced to develop launch infrastructure in La Guajira. The governor of La Guajira, Jairo Aguilar, publicly invited the businessman Photo: X: @jaiaguilar Why is La Guajira proposing Puerto Bolívar as a SpaceX space base? One of the main arguments of Governor Jairo Aguilar is the existing infrastructure in Puerto Bolívar, a maritime terminal located in Alta Guajira, near Bahía Portete, which is currently used by Cerrejón for coal export. According to the mining company's information, the port receives between 15 and 20 vessels monthly and has an approximate storage capacity of 610,000 tons of coal. Since 1985, it has had a direct loading system onto vessels to transport the mineral to international markets. Puerto Bolívar, in Alta Guajira. Photo: Courtesy of Cerrejón The area also has a 150-kilometer railway connection between the Cerrejón mine and Puerto Bolívar. This corridor allows coal to be transported to the maritime terminal for subsequent loading. READ ALSO Added to these facilities is an aerodrome officially identified with the code SKPB, whose administration belongs to Intercor, according to Colombian aeronautical information. For the governor, the combination of port, rail, and airport infrastructure represents a logistical advantage. However, its eventual use in aerospace activities would depend on studies regarding availability, technical adaptations, and operating conditions. Antioquia also offers Urabá to build a SpaceX spaceport The La Guajira proposal is known after the governor of Antioquia, Andrés Julián Rendón, reiterated his interest in attracting Elon Musk's company to Urabá Antioqueño. On October 30, 2026, Rendón addressed the businessman publicly again to propose the possibility of installing a spaceport on the Caribbean coast of the department. "We want to go further: in the Caribbean of Urabá Antioqueño, we are ready to have a SpaceX spaceport," the governor wrote on his X account. READ ALSO Elon Musk @elonmusk, that story happened in Antioquia, Colombia. With 1,200 Starlink antennas, we bring telemedicine to the most remote corners: we save lives, connect schools and bring opportunities to Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. We want to go further: in Urabá, on Antioquia’s Caribbean coast, we are ready to host a SpaceX spaceport. 🚀 ____________________________ Elon Musk, esa historia ocurrió en Antioquia, Colombia. Con 1.200 antenas Starlink llevamos telemedicina a los rincones más apartados: salvamos vidas, conectamos escuelas y acercamos oportunidades a comunidades indígenas y afrodescendientes. Queremos ir más lejos: en el Caribe del Urabá Antioqueño estamos listos para tener un puerto espacial de SpaceX. 🚀— Andrés Julián (@AndresJRendonC) October 30, 2026 The Antioquia initiative was initially proposed in May 2026, when Rendón invited Musk to consider the department as an alternative for expanding SpaceX operations. Subsequently, in October, the governor resumed the proposal after Musk shared a story about using Starlink satellite connectivity to facilitate medical care for a pregnant woman in a rural area of Antioquia. READ ALSO Will SpaceX build a space base in Colombia? This is known from the proposals Although La Guajira and Antioquia have publicly expressed interest in hosting SpaceX operations, neither department has confirmed agreements with Elon Musk's company. The initiatives present different characteristics. While La Guajira highlights the existing logistical infrastructure in Puerto Bolívar and its geographical location, Antioquia proposes the potential availability of land in Urabá and the conditions of its Caribbean coast. For now, feasibility studies, budgets, funding sources, or execution schedules are unknown for either proposal. More news in EL TIEMPO Follow all information from Colombia on Facebook and Twitter, or in our weekly newsletter. 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