This was originally posted by Gator on March 2, 2002 on the South America Chat Board

Travel to Colombia?

Be very, very careful. Tourists have been grabbed outside of Medellin, attacks are increasing against the infrastructure. Speaking to friends in all parts of the country it is going to get worse, a lot worse, before it gets better. While I don't want to rain on anyone's parade I would be very cautious of travel in Colombia. My advice,strike anything from the list that is NOT Bogotá, Medellin, Cali, Cartagena. Under no circumstances make any side trips outside these cities. The safest two cities, IMHO, Cartagena and Bogotá.
Would I recommend travel to Colombia? Since I do not want to become involved in a flame war, each individual will have to makeup his own mind. My attorney from Medellin will be here tomorrow so I will be able to talk with her at length.


Why is Colombia so violent? (Long but worth reading.)

Colombia has a highly stratified society, separating the traditionally rich families of Spanish descent from the vast majority of poor Colombians, most of whom are of mixed race. With few avenues for social mobility, this has provided a natural constituency for left-wing insurgents.

At the other end of the political spectrum are right-wing paramilitary groups, who are sometimes in the pay of drug traffickers and large landowners, and backed by elements in the army and the police.

The paramilitaries have sprung up everywhere, in particular in the northwestern regions, and target human rights workers and peasants suspected of helping left-wing guerrillas, street children and other marginal groups.

Alongside politically-motivated blood-letting is drug-related crime which has become the most common cause of death after cancer and given Colombia the world's highest kidnap rate. Together with the political violence, this has made Colombia one of the most violent countries in the world, deterring investors and tourists alike.

The violence has killed at least 35,000 people over the last decade and forced about two million Colombians to flee the country.

Who are the main power brokers?

The government: President Andres Pastrana was elected in 1998 on the promise that he would negotiate a solution to the country's 38-year civil conflict, pledging to work with both leftist rebels and right-wing paramilitaries. He also vowed to clean up chronic corruption.

Mr Pastrana succeeded Ernesto Samper, who was accused in 1996 of accepting campaign contributions from drug traffickers. The House of Representatives absolved him of the charges. Correspondents say Mr Pastrana is desperate to end the country's civil war before his term expires in August.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC): FARC has its origins in the small Communist peasant groups that were formed in the 1920s and 1930s and dedicated to redressing the severe hardships faced by poor farmers.

The FARC was officially formed in 1964, declaring its intention to use armed struggle as part of a political strategy to seize national power.

Social and political support for the guerrillas peaked during the 1980s, fuelled by the absence of political participation and legal opposition in the country.

Tactics changed in the 1990s, as vast sums of drug money flooded the country, and paramilitary forces financed by traffickers attacked leftist rebel organisations.

It is now thought to have about 15,000 members.

Some analysts believe the group's political vision has blurred over the years, giving way to kidnapping and extortion, which they say have become widely used as an end in themselves.

In November 1998, President Pastrana ceded a large area of south central Colombia to FARC's control as a goodwill gesture, although the guerrillas continued to complain about military controls around the zone.

The National Liberation Army (ELN): The ELN was founded in 1963 under the inspiration of the Cuban Revolution. It is now believed to have 5,000 members.

The group periodically kidnaps foreign employees of large corporations and holds them for large ransom payments.

It has conducted frequent assaults on oil infrastructure and has inflicted major damage on pipelines. It often employs extortion and bombings against US and other foreign businesses, especially the petroleum industry.

Contact between the ELN and the Colombian Government broke down in August last year, but resumed in November.

Mr Pastrana acknowledged the political status of the ELN and suspended arrest warrants against its leaders.

In recent weeks, the government and the ELN have moved closer to reopening talks, with negotiations on a permanent ceasefire scheduled for January.

Analysts say the ELN has realised that it cannot win and has therefore decided to come to the negotiating table.

United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC): The government launched a crackdown on the right-wing paramilitary AUC last year, although human rights groups have long alleged that the army maintains links to the group because they share common enemies.

The AUC was formed by drug-traffickers and landowners to combat rebel kidnappings and extortion.

The United States placed the 8,000-strong group, which has been waging a violent campaign against ARC and ELN, on its list of terrorist organisations last year.

President Pastrana denies there is any army collusion with the AUC, but has failed to convince human rights groups.

The group has been responsible for more than 200 massacres, claiming at least 1,200 lives.

How have drugs come to play such a large role?

The indigenous peoples of South America have cultivated the coca leaf for medicinal purposes for centuries. The leaves were chewed as a vital dietary supplement, helping people to endure work and hunger as well as overcome illness. Once chemists discovered how to turn the leaf into the drug cocaine, its value soared, driving peasant farmers to abandon other crops in favour of exclusive coca cultivation. Colombia is now the world's leading cultivator of the coca leaf, which is mainly grown in southern Putumayo province.

Up to 90% of all cocaine in the United States is Colombian. In addition, almost 70% of the heroin seized in the United States last year was produced in Colombia. Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Colombia's illegal drug trade grew steadily, as the drug cartels amassed huge amounts of money, weapons and influence. After more than 20 years of fighting the drug trade, the US has had little success in stopping or even denting the flow of drugs from Colombia to the US, estimated to be more than 500 tonnes of cocaine every year.

In August 2000, the US Government approved "Plan Colombia", $1.3bn anti-drug trafficking aid that Mr Pastrana is using to undercut drug production and to prevent guerrilla groups from benefiting from drug production. In August 2001, Pastrana signed "war legislation", which expanded the rights of the military in dealing with rebels. Washington says that its so-called "War on Drugs" is aimed at stemming a tide of narcotics flooding the streets of American cities. But critics say that US-backing for the Colombian Government is politically motivated and aimed at quashing undesirable leftist insurgents in the region.

Well..just when everyone thought Cartagena was safe from terror, 2 bombs exploded killing 3 this weekend. I suggest anyone travelling there be very careful as a favorita colombiana told me that even immigration officials are corrupt. They will see what American comes to the city with money and let crooks know so that they may rob you outside.

I'm not trying to scare anyone off, but be very careful even in Cartagena nowadays, personally I'd go to Costa Rica where many colombianas have found greener pastures.

To the Board;

Since I am trying to plan a visit there in early July, I am making some inquiries with local Ctg. business associates and US friends who have family in Ctg. Will post any updates as I get them. Hope this mess doesn't kill the plans. On the otherhand, if tourism is down, prices will be lower as the monger supply decreases. The prices are already great. Can't imagine if they even got better!

Maybe TreeShark and Bonvvnt can add updated information as well from their local contacts.

I will in Cartagena in 2 weeks and will let you know then was is really going on.. I am talking to Dawn on the phone a bit but she is more interested in making sure that I still go and I do not trust her info right now.. the others that I know are not answering my emails or i am not emailing them// I think that the others like Yoosin, flyguy or BonVvnt would have better sources of info right now..

I have received two replies so far to my inquiries and they are basically the same report.

The bombs(petardos) were of common criminal origin. The bombers have been apprehended and are in custody. They were sindicalistas against the Ctg. power industry and it was labor related. "Nothing to write home about" was the reply.

None of it was FARC or ELN related. Labor dispute....Colombian style!

My employee with family there tells me everything has settled down and life is back to normal. His mom is shopping, walking the streets as usual. As in the past, he urges normal precaution, don't trust anybody you don't know and don't take unnecessary risks.

I am confirming unless TreeShark feeds back different information.

sandman!

I was speaking to my novia when the bombs went off. She confirms also that it was a labor related dispute. It seems the three killed where -
1. a policeman trying to disarm the second of two bombs.
2. a 14 year old boy.
3. A 15 year old boy.

Anyway I will be there Saturday May 4th. I will let the 'clubhombre' community know if I sense any major change in the mood in CTG. I expect things to be status quo. I will be staying with my novia out in the neighborhoods and will not be isolated from the typical gringo hotel dwellers. Therefore I hope I will get a better sense of what is happening from the locals.

I will also start looking for apartments this visit. But I really do not know which area's of CTG are appropiate for an Americano. But this will be my study project this trip.

Caminata cuidadosamente,

Try Torre Centauro in El laguito. Bunch of gringos are trying to buy up the building and turn it into a gringo haven.

Contact Eddie Salence esalence@yahoo.com for more info. Eddie is Belgian but lived in Ctg. for 15 years. he and his wife Marie manage the place and will take care of renting it for you when you are not there. He can also help with all tghe issues of purchasing, getting title etc. I might mention it is right across the street from El Conquistador...the building where about 95% of the working girls in Ctg. live......NO TAXI fare...LOL

I am looking at one there as well. Prices are attractive and mostly owned by Colombians who want out from under them. Motivated sellers.

Sandman

Yes. It is officially not a FARC or ELN act. According to some close business contacts, everything is back to normal and the suspcts have been in custody for a couple of days now. This of course just increase security in CTG as you will notice a bit more police presence than usual, they have to protect the city that generates tourists $$$$.

I will be there again for a weekend quickie in about 2 weeks and will update. However, I would still recommend CTG at thsi time.

Not a terrorist related attack, it was a labor dispute.

The people in Cartagena are somewhat concerned and (this last weekend, at least) limited some of there trips out into the street.

More bombs were promised, but I'm not hearing of any major, ongoing concern. Well, mi novia is afraid but that's just because she's young... ;)

Here is an applicable link to a news story about how Colombia's tourist image is improving.

Maybe after 30+ years of conflict the rebels either have been killed-off by the Army, or they have just grown tired.

Interesting article.

AJ


http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/03/17/colombia.tourism.ap/index.html

Indeed, a very interesting article, thanks for the link. I think the last comment in the article holds true: perception = reality for some. Colombia has never had a media spin doctor to counterweigh the constant negative reports of mayhem and wars. A lot of which occurs outside the cities; I never felt insecure or had problems while traveling and staying in the cities, although you do notice the military guys here and there.

I've been noticing a lot more tourists lately (Europeans and Israelis), espec. in CTG in the past year or so. BOG seems to have it's increasing numbers of tourists as well.

We were inquiring about apartment purchases in CTG and found out that prices have appreciated nearly double in some places in CTG from a few years ago. It still might be a good investment.