Colombia es pasión (3), for big trouble

Bad news for Colombia and bad news for president Uribe, who is still in crossroads of soul if he is going to try to be reelected or not. The amount of coca and cocaine produced in Colombia hardly has been reduced, writes the National Council for Planning. The Council warns against a ‘gangsterisation’ of the country.

Cartagena’s reputation in danger

It seems that they are making a movie about drugs gangsters, titled Cartagena. Keanu Reeves is to be the protagonist in this movie. Now it happens that Cartagena is Colombia’s most popular tourist destination and therefore the government is in alert.

Cocaboeren in voormalig FARC-bolwerk worden braaf

Don Daniel (geheel links) met twee projectmedewerkers op een voormalige cocakwekerij

Een paar jaar geleden nog had Daniel Escobar een discotheek waarmee hij 50 miljoen pesos (ruim 16.000 euro) per maand omzette. Zijn discotheek stond in het gehucht La Cooperativa, op twee uur rijden over een modderig weggetje vol kuilen vanuit het dorp Vistahermosa in Centraal-Colombia. Waarom verdiende Escobar bakken met geld op zo’n veraf gelegen plek? De hele plaatselijke economie draaide op de cocaplantages, de grondstof voor cocaïne.

Cocaine comes from everywhere

The global war on drugs is no longer just fought in Colombia. The violence has spread to Mexico and West Africa and according to local media, the mafia is taking an increasing control of coca production in Bolivia and Perú. The authorities of drugs consuming countries need a radical change of policy.

Mexico’s cocaine comes from Colombia

Claudia López’s column in El Tiempo had an interesting analysis Tuesday. She states that Colombia is no longer a priority for the United States in Latin America, because the Colombian government has been able to convince the Americans that the war in the country is under control. The United States’ attention is going to be shifted to Mexico, López writes, because the USA are very worried about the drugs related violence in that country.

Colombia es pasión (2)

As I said in my post Colombia es pasíon the government in Colombia is doing everything to improve the image of the country. It is eager to prove that Colombia is not only the biggest exporter of cocaine, but is also a beautiful country with hard working people where you can have a great time.

Obama and Uribe

Within Colombia there have been a lot of criticisms about its lack of foreign policy. The only real friend of Colombia’s president Álvaro Uribe is/was the president of the United States George Bush. And mr. Bush is leaving.