Colombia is waiting for you

A country that, despite its reality, is worth discovering.

When a country like Colombia is mentioned, people tend to relate it only to contexts such as drug trafficking and violence. That is why, in this text, I would like to present a broader view of the nation, mentioning both the good and the bad, and at the same time invite people to discover a country as fascinating as Colombia.

General characteristics

Colombia is a large country, being three times the size of Germany. It is located in South America and limits to the North with Panama and the Caribbean Sea, to the South with Brazil and Peru, to the East with Venezuela and to the West with Ecuador and the Pacific Ocean. It has a population of close to 50 million inhabitants and its official language is Spanish, a language established during the Spanish colonization of America.

Fauna and Flora

For nature lovers, Colombia is the perfect destination, being able to find everything from the arid deserts of La Guajira to the rainy tropical forests of Choco. Thanks to this variety of climates, Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world (1), being home to animals as diverse as the Pink Dolphin, the Sloth and the Puma. Likewise, southern Colombia is part of the Amazon region, better known as the lung of the world, through which the second longest river in the world, the Amazon, crosses.

Violence

As proud as we are when it comes to the diversity of our territory and the joy of our people, we have to be responsible and tell the whole story, not just the part that makes us proud. By accepting that Colombia has been a violent country, especially in the second half of the 20th century, thanks to its high economic inequality and its failed war on drugs. This is why, as a summary, the events that have shaped the conflict will be considered, with the aim of giving a real dimension to the war in Colombia and mentioning the factors that have kept it in force:

• A fight between the two political parties of the country (liberals and conservatives) generated a period of conflict called "La Violencia" during the 1950s. Peasants displaced during this period founded the guerrilla known as the F.A.R.C. - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. (2)

• At the end of 1980, businessmen, politicians and drug traffickers created paramilitary groups with the objective of supporting the national army in the conflict against the F.A.R.C. Likewise, drug trafficking increased its importance, as it was a source of income for the F.A.R.C. and paramilitary groups. (2)

• Between 2003-2006, paramilitary groups demobilized. (3) Similarly, between the years 2012-2016, the F.A.R.C. demobilized. (2)

• Currently, the dissidents of the F.A.R.C. and the paramilitaries continue to be active in the country.

Hope for change

I understand that it is difficult to consider that in the XXI century a country like Colombia continues in an internal war, but factors such as inequality and the capacity of drug trafficking to contaminate the country's political classes have kept the conflict in force. This is why it seemed necessary to clarify the situation, so that people interested in visiting the country are aware of the national context. On the other hand, the future of Colombia is promising, knowing that there are presidential candidates who will try to modify current policies (4), since they are anachronistic laws that do not work according to the needs of the country. Likewise, and although it sounds contradictory, I invite those who feel attracted by the wonders of my nation, to take the opportunity to discover it, considering that the armed conflict is lived mainly in rural areas, so that the people who travel with caution and stay in urban areas will be at less risk.

Culture

After that bitter drink, I am going to present you the other treasure of Colombia, its people, because not for nothing is Colombia considered the happiest country in the world. (5) So, if your interest is learning to dance, Cali is the city for you, as it is the preferred destination for foreigners to learn to dance salsa. Likewise, if you want to enjoy a world-class event, you can choose between the Barranquilla festival, the Cali fair and many other celebrations that give life to this joyful country. So, the real question is, what are you waiting to go? The only risk is that you do not want to leave.

Andrés Sossa,

04 of October 2021

(1) WWF. "A Look at the Natural World of Colombia." WWF, World Wildlife Fund, 2017, https://www.worldwildlife.org/magazine/issues/winter-2017/articles/a-look-at-the-natural-world-of-colombia.

(2) Cosoy, Natalio. “¿Por Qué Empezó y Qué Pasó En La Guerra De Más De 50 Años Que Desangró a Colombia?” BBC News Mundo, BBC, 24 Aug. 2016, https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-37181413.

(3) Verdad Abierta. “La Desmovilización: El Proceso De Paz (2003-2006).” VerdadAbierta.com, 11 Feb. 2008, https://verdadabierta.com/periodo4/.

(4) Gaviria, Alejandro. “Un Ideario En 60 Puntos.” Alejandro Gaviria, 27 Aug. 2021, http://agaviria.co/2021/08/un-ideario-en-60-puntos.html.

(5) Country Brand Colombia. "Colombia, The Country Of Happiness." Colombia Country Brand, https://www.colombia.co/pais-colombia/los-colombianos-somos-asi/colombia-el-pais-de-la-alegria/.