Colombia Is Taking A Turn For The Worse. Should I Stay?

Elections, Car Fires, and Murder.

Communa 13 Art

This morning, I woke up like any day, except it was sunny instead of rainy here in the mountains. It is still the rainy season. However, today is beautiful.

The birds are chirping; the wind is blowing. The sky has a few clouds, but mostly it is a perfect blue. I have three new squash growing, and my tomatoes might start blooming soon! The other day I stole some cow poop from the pasture across the way, but I think no one cares.

Then I receive a text from a friend. I asked her yesterday what she thought about the current situation in Colombia. Is she staying or going?

Ok, let me backup a little to 3 days ago. It was shopping day, my boyfriend went into town alone and did the shopping, this is easier, he can fit more on the back of his moto; I also prefer to stay home.

When he gets home, he says, “I bought a little extra food because of what’s going on.” I look at him and say, “what is going on?” He says, “don’t you watch the news or youtube.” I say yes, but not recently, should I? He says, “well, yes, ok, so I say you need to tell me what is going on then”.

So he goes on to tell me that on the coast, the paramilitary have been attacking cars, stopping buses, and burning cars. He says “this is what they do when they are angry or show their power”.

So this is when I asked my friend, “what is she going to do, and has she heard of what is going on here?”

This morning she sent me this from what she discovered in the FB Expat’s group:

“One of the most prominent narco leaders was indeed caught, and according to this, “El clan del Golfo,” the biggest drug cartel, is doing an armed strike in part of the north and also many towns of Antioquia, they are stopping buses 🚌 and burning cars in the road, killing people to show their power, also many towns have been lockdown for this big army group- you can check it out in the news 🗞- I hope she is safe man, I have to cancel my road trip to see my family during this weekend because of that, It is a very delicate situation (almost a civil war)”