The uprising occurred within the pearl fisheries of Riohacha (Guajira Peninsula), an extractive economic system then dependent on the forced labor of enslaved Africans following the decline of Indigenous labor in the late sixteenth century. The revolt involved approx. 450 enslaved men and women, many of them pearl divers, of which 30 to 40 were armed with weapons such as spears, machetes, bows, and swords acquired clandestinely. The insurgents displayed a notable organization, forming a command structure with a “general” and subordinate captains, and mobilizing with drums and banners. Their objective was to overthrow the oppressive labor regime by killing overseers, mayordomos, and other agents of the colonial system. The uprising began with coordinated attacks on the infrastructure of the pearl fishery. The rebels looted supplies, destroyed canoes essential to pearl extraction, burned buildings, and killed at least one overseer. They then fled inland, seeking refuge in areas associated with maroon communities. Spanish colonial authorities responded swiftly, organizing armed forces to pursue and suppress the insurgents. Several engagements followed over the course of a few days. Despite initial resistance, divisions emerged among the rebels, with some accepting negotiated surrender while others continued fighting. Ultimately, the revolt was crushed. Twelve leaders were executed as a deterrent, and surviving participants were forced back into slavery. This revolt stands out as a significant episode of active resistance among enslaved Africans in the Spanish Caribbean. It highlights both the extreme brutality of the pearl-fishing system and the capacity for organized resistance, contributing to the broader decline of the regional pearl economy in the early seventeenth century.