Safety in Colombia

Colombia is commonly known for conflict, cocaine and kidnappings. It is a country where drug lords have gotten seats in parliament and where tourists have been sat down as hostages in the jungle. It would have been scary to cycle here a few years ago, but today the security situation has increased immensely. I do not meet any violence, only wonderful people.

The conflict is still fought between guerilla soldiers, paramilitary and state armies, a fight that started due to socio-economic differences within the country. Guerilla groups were formed to struggle for the right to own land, but during the struggle many other human rights have been sacrificed by all parties involved. In recent years, the military efforts and police force have increased and the guerilla activity has been pushed back to areas that I avoid cycling through.  There is continuously a police and military presence on the roads that I travel on and I feel safe when I pass the police posts on the road, put my tent up in a military camp or stop for the night at a fire station.

I would not have noticed the conflict in the country at all if the roads wouldn’t be dressed in different uniforms. The places that I visit have a more casual style. Some people wear dance costumes on the square in the city of Cartagena, swim wear are used at the beaches by the Caribbean, cycling outfits are popular in the mountains around Manizales, plastic surgery is an accessory in the metropolis of Medellin and the hipster look is common in the capital Bogotá. One of the root causes of the conflict however, the gap between the rich and the poor, are still noticable. Part of the population is dressed in worn out clothing in the city slums or wear wet shoes in a flooded countryside. Since the start of the conflict the socio-economic differences have increased in the country. The focus on military solutions have definitely made my journey through the country a lot safer, but a large part of the population still lacks social security

Peace