Colombia’s President Backs Clean Energy Bitcoin Mining for Caribbean Region

Highlights:

• Petro says Colombia’s clean-energy regions could attract Bitcoin mining investment and local development.
• Paraguay’s hydro-powered mining model inspired the Colombian President’s idea for Santa Marta, Riohacha, and Barranquilla.
• Petro wants the Wayúu community to share ownership and benefits from any project.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has shared a new Bitcoin (BTC) mining idea for Colombia’s Caribbean region. He said areas with strong clean energy could attract investment in Bitcoin mining. However, he also said local communities should benefit from these projects. Petro made the statement in an X post on Tuesday. He was responding to a report by Bitcoin commentator Sultán about Paraguay’s Bitcoin mining industry. The report explained how Paraguay uses hydroelectric power to support Bitcoin mining.

Petro warned that virtual currencies powered by fossil fuels could increase global warming and climate risks. However, he said countries with unused clean energy, such as Paraguay and Venezuela, can attract Bitcoin mining investment. He suggested that Colombia could also look at this idea in Caribbean cities.

Si las monedas virtuales se basan en energía fósil estalla el calentamiento mundial y el colapso climático

Hoy los países con abundantes energías limpias encerradas como Venezuela y Paraguay, logran atraer las inversiones en minería del bitcoin. La.minería del bitcoin es el… https://t.co/KroCrG9qkD

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) May 5, 2026

Bitcoin mining is the process that helps confirm Bitcoin transactions. Miners use powerful computers to protect the Bitcoin network. In return, they can earn new Bitcoin and transaction fees. Mining requires a lot of electricity, so the power source is very important. That is why clean energy has become a major topic in the crypto mining industry.

Petro Points to Paraguay’s Bitcoin Mining Model

Petro’s comments came after a report by Bitcoin commentator Sultán about Paraguay’s Bitcoin mining industry. The report said Paraguay became a major Bitcoin mining hub because it has extra hydroelectric power. The report said Paraguay gets hydropower from three main dams: Itaipu, Yacyretá, and Acaray. Itaipu is the largest of them. According to the report, Itaipu has a total power capacity of 14,000 megawatts. Half of that power belongs to Paraguay under a treaty.

That clean energy gives Paraguay a major advantage. The report said Paraguay uses its excess electricity to support Bitcoin mining rather than waste it. Sultán said this helped Paraguay become the fourth-largest BTC mining country in the world, after the United States, Russia, and China. The report also said Paraguay now controls about 4.3% of the global Bitcoin mining hashrate. That equals around 43 EH/s as of the second quarter of the year. Hashrate means the total computing power used to mine Bitcoin and keep the network secure. A higher hashrate shows stronger mining activity.

Sultán also named some major mining companies working in Paraguay. These include Alps Blockchain, Penguin, and HIVE Digital. According to the report, these companies have built large mining sites, high-voltage power systems, and strong cooling setups for large-scale Bitcoin mining.

Acabo de publicar el reporte más completo que existe sobre la minería de Bitcoin en Paraguay.

¡Lo que encontramos tiene implicaciones directas para Venezuela!

Esta es la historia de dos países con la misma energía, dos destinos completamente distintos, y por qué eso podría… pic.twitter.com/RCiP0TGIBq

— Sultán (@elsultanbitcoin) May 4, 2026

Colombia Could Explore Mining With Community Ownership

Petro said Colombia’s Caribbean region could also use a clean-energy Bitcoin mining model. He named Santa Marta, Riohacha, and Barranquilla as possible areas for this type of project. He also said local politician Char did not follow this opportunity. Petro called it a missed chance for the Caribbean region.

Petro gave special attention to the Wayúu indigenous community. The Wayúu community lives across the La Guajira region near Riohacha. Petro said the government should speak directly with the community before moving forward. He also said the Wayúu community should become a co-owner of any project. This means the community should not only watch from the outside. It should also share in the project’s control and benefits.