By: Daniel Nardini
In the 1980’s and 1990’s, it was the most violent city in all of Latin America and indeed the world. The drug trade was so much a part of this place that its main income was from the illegal cocaine that was processed and sent throughout the whole world. I am talking about Medellin, Colombia. The same Medellin that was the headquarters of one of the most notorious drug cartel kingpins of all time, Pablo Escobar. Because of this one person alone, Medellin became synonymous with violence, drug running, and the leftist FARC guerrillas and right wing militias that hunted down the FARC and Escobar. To put it mildly, Medellin looked like a hopeless case for the worst that humanity could ever produce.
Today, Medellin could not be more different. The death of Escobar helped change Medellin for the better. This alone was not enough to clean up the city’s image. In 2002, then Colombian President Alvaro Uribe launched Operation Orion. This was a Colombian government effort to clean up Medellin. The Colombian military was sent in to clear out what was left of the drug cartels, and it helped to also clear out the FARC rebels. The militias for the most part surrendered their weapons during this operation—they did not want too much trouble with the government. Although crime and to an extent drug running is still a problem, it is largely confined to the poorer neighborhoods. This is a far cry from what the city used to be. During the 2000’s, many corporate businesses moved into Medellin. The city became so stable that corporate and government infrastructure projects have been recreating Medellin into a modern, 21st Century metropolis.
This year, Medellin has been chosen as the best Latin American capital city in innovation—a high honor for those cities that have developed and encouraged high tech innovation. This translates out into a building boom and encouraging a lot of investments. Plus, Medellin is a city with a rich history. Founded in 1616 by the Spanish, Medellin has countless churches, homes and monuments built in the colonial period that reflects the city’s rich past. Because of the improved security, Medellin has become a tourist spot not only for Colombians, but also for foreign visitors. Whatever the city’s problems, Medellin has come a long, long way from what it was two decades ago. Yes, there is life for those places trying to escape from the plague of the drug trade.
Arisen from the Grave of the Drug Trade
By: Daniel Nardini
Today, Medellin could not be more different. The death of Escobar helped change Medellin for the better. This alone was not enough to clean up the city’s image. In 2002, then Colombian President Alvaro Uribe launched Operation Orion. This was a Colombian government effort to clean up Medellin. The Colombian military was sent in to clear out what was left of the drug cartels, and it helped to also clear out the FARC rebels. The militias for the most part surrendered their weapons during this operation—they did not want too much trouble with the government. Although crime and to an extent drug running is still a problem, it is largely confined to the poorer neighborhoods. This is a far cry from what the city used to be. During the 2000’s, many corporate businesses moved into Medellin. The city became so stable that corporate and government infrastructure projects have been recreating Medellin into a modern, 21st Century metropolis.
This year, Medellin has been chosen as the best Latin American capital city in innovation—a high honor for those cities that have developed and encouraged high tech innovation. This translates out into a building boom and encouraging a lot of investments. Plus, Medellin is a city with a rich history. Founded in 1616 by the Spanish, Medellin has countless churches, homes and monuments built in the colonial period that reflects the city’s rich past. Because of the improved security, Medellin has become a tourist spot not only for Colombians, but also for foreign visitors. Whatever the city’s problems, Medellin has come a long, long way from what it was two decades ago. Yes, there is life for those places trying to escape from the plague of the drug trade.