Bogota Reports

[Ggekko2009]

I don't know what ATM you're using but the Casa de Cambio rates and rates I'm seeing on-line from currency exchange websites like oanda, xe.com and bankrate are completely in line with the rates I was getting in Medellin last week. Or at least we'll within a normal range of fluctuation. There was definitely much more of surge last month when the rate peaked at close to 4100 COP/$. Besides, if the dollar buys fewer pesos as you're suggesting that would mean the peso is actually strengthening vs the dollar not weakening as what's being predicted by Petro detractors.

I mistyped, it was supposed to be 3,912. Anyway, I did notice a few instances in past weeks where it broke through 4,000. But that was based on events set by the Feds on interest rates rather than domestic events in Colombia. But we will see how things would go.

In any case, it is easier to mentally calculate any amount in COP to USD when it is divisible by 4,000 for me.

[Prolijo]

Today I am already getting a conversion rate of USD 1 to 3,192 cop at ATM. Cop will probably get weaker after the new guy takes over in August, but it will depend on the makeup of his cabinet, especially the finance minister. That will provide guidance on what the direction this country is going to make.

On a side note, many of the chicas that I know and who are in my contact list seem to be rooting for this guy.

I don't know what ATM you're using but the Casa de Cambio rates and rates I'm seeing on-line from currency exchange websites like oanda, xe.com and bankrate are completely in line with the rates I was getting in Medellin last week. Or at least we'll within a normal range of fluctuation. There was definitely much more of surge last month when the rate peaked at close to 4100 COP/$. Besides, if the dollar buys fewer pesos as you're suggesting that would mean the peso is actually strengthening vs the dollar not weakening as what's being predicted by Petro detractors.

[Elvis 2008]

Drugs for sure, but prostitution being a multi-billion dollar industry in Colombia? I seriously doubt that. Methinks because of our own proclivities some here have an out-sized per perception of the importance of our hobby in Colombia. However, I agree with others that the Petro Administration will have much more important issues to deal with. Also, barring their successfully creating more acceptable alternative sources of income for poor women, prostitution will remain a perhaps undesirable but unfortunately necessary means of support for many women in Colombia.

Nah, it is easily a billion dollar industry. This was calculated in 2019, prepandemic. https://havocscope.com/prostitution-revenue-by-country/.

It is pretty obvious to everyone that the money going to Asia is now finding its way to Latin America.

This is escort rates around the world but it is pretty interesting: https://vividmaps.com/price-of-sex-around-the-world/.

Colombia averaged $60 an hour for escorts. It looks like the cheapest place there is.

[Woodman09]

Today I am already getting a conversion rate of USD 1 to 3,192 cop at ATM. Cop will probably get weaker after the new guy takes over in August, but it will depend on the makeup of his cabinet, especially the finance minister. That will provide guidance on what the direction this country is going to make.

On a side note, many of the chicas that I know and who are in my contact list seem to be rooting for this guy.

Wow-- that is not good-- I get 3900+.

[Ggekko2009]

Today I am already getting a conversion rate of USD 1 to 3,192 cop at ATM. Cop will probably get weaker after the new guy takes over in August, but it will depend on the makeup of his cabinet, especially the finance minister. That will provide guidance on what the direction this country is going to make.

On a side note, many of the chicas that I know and who are in my contact list seem to be rooting for this guy.

[Prolijo]

Not sure if this belongs here but to add M2 C

If your not sure then it probably doesn't belong here. Can we leave US politics off a Colombian monger forum? But since you raised it:

To compare Joe Biden in any way to a former socialist revolutionary guerrilla is patently absurd. Frankly, this whole labeling of Democrats as Socialists is patently absurd as well.

The most that mainstream Democrats in the US have even talked about is 1) a PARTIAL rollback of the Trump-era corporate tax giveaway (to a top rate of 26.5% vs the 35% rate pre-2018), 2) an increase on the top marginal rate for individuals making more than $25 MILLION/yr (idk about you but I don't make that much) and who, for the most part, pay proportionately little if any taxes compared to more typical Americans due to the tax shelters available to them and the loopholes written into the US tax code by their lobbyists (last year Jeff Bezo's effective tax rate was <1%) and 4) a treatment of the capital gains earned by mostly wealthier individuals to the same way we currently tax wages which are the main source of income for poorer and middle-class Americans.

Regardless of whether you agree with any of that and MORE TO THE POINT, those proposals haven't gone ANYWHERE and EVEN IF they did it is highly doubtful they'd cause the capital flight from the safe-haven economy of the US that Petro's much more radical proposals could cause in a fragile economy like Colombia's.

So let's get a grip.

[Prolijo]

...That aside. Prostitution and drugs bring billions of $'s a year to Colombia. No politician's going to change that.

Drugs for sure, but prostitution being a multi-billion dollar industry in Colombia? I seriously doubt that. Methinks because of our own proclivities some here have an out-sized per perception of the importance of our hobby in Colombia. However, I agree with others that the Petro Administration will have much more important issues to deal with. Also, barring their successfully creating more acceptable alternative sources of income for poor women, prostitution will remain a perhaps undesirable but unfortunately necessary means of support for many women in Colombia.

[JjBee62]

Petro is a m-19 rebel, a student activist who from the very beginning vowed to overthrow the Colombian government. The FARC are already foaming at the mouth in anticipation of the FARC having a prominent place in Petro's government. BTW being mayor of Bogota is a far cry from being president with a whole lot more control over the Socialist policies he will quickly enact. Biden's policies and his SFB choices for government offices and his destruction of the USA government will be mild compared to what Petro and his FARC connections will do to Colombia. It's always the same with Socialist, talk a good game to give the poor for free what they don't have now. The playbook is always the same, garner the support of the uninformed, easily swayed students and the poor to get in power and make things worse for everyone. This is a precursor for what their true intention is. Communism. Pure and simple.

"The goal of socialism is communism. ".

Here's another one by Lenin that is happening here and will take place more rapidly in Colombia because it's illegal for the general population to possess a gun.

"One man with a gun can control 100 without one. ".

Vladimir Lenin.

I'm not sure if you got the memo or not, but Lenin is dead. It happened fairly recently, 98 years ago, so the news might not have reached you yet.

While we're on the subject of things you might not know, the Colombian Constitution allows citizens to own guns, with a permit. Granted, the number of permits issued are often restricted and I doubt if "I want a gun" is considered a valid reason to request a permit. If it's still there, there's a store which sells guns in Oviedo mall in Medellin.

Most of FARC disbanded after the peace agreement was reached. A small number, mostly paramilitary groups and narco traffickers remain active. In 50 years of active civil war they failed to control any significant portion of Colombia. It seems unlikely that a smaller, less supported group will suddenly develop the military power to overthrow the existing system.

I guess I missed the destruction of the US government. It appears to me that it's continuing to function as inefficiently as ever. I'll try to be more aware in the future.

The only thing that's always the same is the "Chicken Little" approach which you seem to use for everything. The sky isn't falling, and it's not about to start falling. Petro will probably make changes to the budget, giving a higher priority to some things and a lower priority to others. There will be a few minor fluctuations, the same as happens after every election in almost every country. Otherwise it will be no different next year than it was last year.

[Orion4]

I booked an Airbnb at the intersection of Carrera 7 & Calle 82. How's that location? Based on the map list, it's a little further away from the action, probably because it's a residential area.

I am wondering if this location is considered safe, and is it easy to access nightlife, restaurants, etc?

[BearEmy84]

?? will the cost of pussy go up or down?

Down. Leftist leadership means weaker currency vs the USD.

[Chicago85]

True, but the vice president is a woman. How influential is she? Traditionally woman leaders crack down on prostitution. Look what happened in Argentina.

From what I understand she may not be that influential. She's an activist, but has not had much exposure outside of that. It is commendable what she has achieved as someone that is a woman, Afro-Colombian, grew up dirt poor, was pregnant at 16 and worked in the gold mines. This noted, according to the wife of my friend she is not seen as intelligent and also 'makes up a lot of words. ' How much of this is truth versus a dosage of Paisa racism I do not know.

From a prostitution standpoint, I would assume they have bigger items to focus on at this time.

[HumbleHal]

Petro is a m-19 rebel, a student activist who from the very beginning vowed to overthrow the Colombian government. The FARC are already foaming at the mouth in anticipation of the FARC having a prominent place in Petro's government. BTW being mayor of Bogota is a far cry from being president with a whole lot more control over the Socialist policies he will quickly enact. Biden's policies and his SFB choices for government offices and his destruction of the USA government will be mild compared to what Petro and his FARC connections will do to Colombia. It's always the same with Socialist, talk a good game to give the poor for free what they don't have now. The playbook is always the same, garner the support of the uninformed, easily swayed students and the poor to get in power and make things worse for everyone. This is a precursor for what their true intention is. Communism. Pure and simple.

"The goal of socialism is communism. ".

Here's another one by Lenin that is happening here and will take place more rapidly in Colombia because it's illegal for the general population to possess a gun.

"One man with a gun can control 100 without one. ".

Vladimir Lenin.

?? will the cost of pussy go up or down?

[BearEmy84]

True, but the vice president is a woman. How influential is she? Traditionally woman leaders crack down on prostitution. Look what happened in Argentina.

Peru as well. However, she's been working with minorities / lower class since she was 13. She'll understand how important prostitution is as an income source, even if she doesn't like it. She's not going to be one of those brigading, virtue signaling types.

That aside. Prostitution and drugs bring billions of $'s a year to Colombia. No politician's going to change that.

[LatinaLover#1]

Petro is a m-19 rebel, a student activist who from the very beginning vowed to overthrow the Colombian government. The FARC are already foaming at the mouth in anticipation of the FARC having a prominent place in Petro's government. BTW being mayor of Bogota is a far cry from being president with a whole lot more control over the Socialist policies he will quickly enact. Biden's policies and his SFB choices for government offices and his destruction of the USA government will be mild compared to what Petro and his FARC connections will do to Colombia. It's always the same with Socialist, talk a good game to give the poor for free what they don't have now. The playbook is always the same, garner the support of the uninformed, easily swayed students and the poor to get in power and make things worse for everyone. This is a precursor for what their true intention is. Communism. Pure and simple.

"The goal of socialism is communism. ".

Here's another one by Lenin that is happening here and will take place more rapidly in Colombia because it's illegal for the general population to possess a gun.

"One man with a gun can control 100 without one. ".

Vladimir Lenin.

[Turgid]

Before people freak out over a leftist, just a reminder Petro was mayor of Bogota in 2012-2014. During which prostitution and Santa Fe were alive and well. Just read back in the forums.

True, but the vice president is a woman. How influential is she? Traditionally woman leaders crack down on prostitution. Look what happened in Argentina.