Medellin Reports

[Manny51]

You're probably right, but it's still important to keep in mind that Medellin still has extremely high crime and murder rates. Especially for the guys who wander off the beaten path. Medellin cops don't seem to be doing a sensational job at keeping people alive. Don't forget it was only about a year ago the armed robbery at a hostel in poblado where a gringo was shot and killed.

Maybe I should've posted this in the security in Colombia section. Sorry about that.

But the point that some other posters are trying to make is that the beaten path is REALLY off the beaten path, and that numbers can be deceiving. Telling people to be careful in Poblado because of the overall murder rate in Medellin, is like telling people to be careful in Beverly Hills because of the overall murder rate in LA. It's misleading.

I went on the Pablo Escobar tour, which took us to an area of Centro where all the poor / indigent hung out, hooked on that super cheap byproduct of cocaine production that screws you like crystal meth. It was bad. But it was FAR away. And of course, you have to realize that in any city, that some of the areas for P4P are going to be in dodgy areas of the city. Going there is the choice that you make. It's also why places like SXM look so good.

The era of huge bloody narco drug wars spilling into the public in Medellin are over. Most of the drug traffic has moved to Mexico, and even that guy got recently busted.

[Vmonger]

The population of the city of Medellin, not including surrounding cities, in 2013 was 2. 4 million. If we say that all 654 people who disappeared were murdered, that is 27. 25 murders per 100, 000 population. Eight large cities in the US have a higher murder rate than Medellin, some much higher.

You're comparing apples and oranges. The number of people disappeared and the number of murders are not directly related. They are separate statistics, at least until the disappeared turns up dead. Medellin's murder rate is about 49. 10 per 100,000 for 2013.

[MiamiSammy]

You lost me, how does this "put things in perspective"?

If you don't follow him it doesn't mean his point is neither valid nor accessible- it simply means you don't get it.

[MiamiSammy]

Was anyone here planning to vacation in Flint or Little Rock though?

And if you took a look at all Colombian cities, you'd find places like Buenaventura that at one point had triple the murder rate that Flint does there.

There is plenty of danger in Colombia but it's mostly something for locals to be concerned about. In big cities you seldom see mass violence or public violence, though there is the odd explosion or two and sometimes protests will have you breathing tear gas (especially near the fucking U de A LOL).

Santa Marta is a prime example. As a foreigner, you will stay in El Rodadero or some decently protected part of the Centro. As a local, you will be in a slum or up a damn steep hill somewhere that the authorities can barely even access. As a tourist you have nothing to fear other than a taxi accident or drowning. As a local, your life is cheap as fuck..

Bravo. Well spoken. FWIW, I only mentioned FARQ because they had stopped kidnapping by and large. There's still some vestiges in the NW, but in general they've essentially assimilated into the political landscape. Your assessment of the cities and especially tourist / local concerns are spot on.

[Hanshin Baka]

I really don't like the spread of ignorance. Any due diligence shows quickly that the only real issue Colombia currently has are some rogue elements of FARQ- FARQ themselves, who are one of the major players historically have signed a treaty rejecting kidnapping, overall seem to be adhering to it. Medellin is a city of 2. 5 million, and as such it is an inherently dangerous place. If you are to be abducted in Medellin or elsewhere in Colombia the overwhelming odds are that it would be if you were backpacking in the woods, especially in the largely uninhabited area of the NW, where FARQ is strong. If they get you in Medellin, they're probably just going to slit your throat and pick your pockets like any other major city and dump your stupid ass in an alley somewhere convenient, if that. That being said, yes, Medellin is dangerous and even Colombians recognize this. They have an addage,"dar papaya" which essentially refers to "don't be the only papaya within reach". If you're low hanging fruit, you'll get picked. Here's a list of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world, based on murder per capita, including America cities.

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-m...d-2013-11?op=1

Stop perpetuating this perception that Medellin is somehow still as dangerous as it was twenty years ago. It's made progress we could only hope Detroit, St. Louis or Baltimore might emulate, not to mention Mexico. You're in a big city in a foreign land that is not protected by the US Constitution. Act like it and you'll be fine. Show some respect. Don't get shitfaced. Don't be stupid. Have a good time.

You seem like quite the expert on Medellin, how long have you lived there? How many times have you visited?

[Member #4244]

Was anyone here planning to vacation in Flint or Little Rock though?

And if you took a look at all Colombian cities, you'd find places like Buenaventura that at one point had triple the murder rate that Flint does there.

There is plenty of danger in Colombia but it's mostly something for locals to be concerned about. In big cities you seldom see mass violence or public violence, though there is the odd explosion or two and sometimes protests will have you breathing tear gas (especially near the fucking U de A LOL).

Santa Marta is a prime example. As a foreigner, you will stay in El Rodadero or some decently protected part of the Centro. As a local, you will be in a slum or up a damn steep hill somewhere that the authorities can barely even access. As a tourist you have nothing to fear other than a taxi accident or drowning. As a local, your life is cheap as fuck.

It is the same thing in Medellin. You can stay in any number of well-patrolled, well-maintained barrios. Even the parts of the Centro where you'd actually stay are much safer than most think. You are not going to stay in a place where there is an absence of government services, where de facto paramilitaries run the streets and where a cop car or an ambulance couldn't get there even if they wanted to. Your main concern as a tourist is petty crime and even then the girls you are fucking should be infinitely more worried than you are. If you leave your stuff out, it'll get taken, otherwise these little dipshits will look for an easy mark who blends into the crowd (e. G. A Colombian woman than a foreign man).

I don't understand the emphasis on the FARC. As if that is all anyone has to worry about. That hasn't been the biggest concern in Colombia for years. I think the lingering paramilitaries create much more tension and danger for locals. You also have a lot of outright thieving, most of which is less organized and less logical. There are plenty of people in the drug trade just for the money, too, and there's plenty of blood in Colombia's dope game. Corners get taken here the same way they do in Baltimore, but there are a lot more corners.

All that said, from having lived in shitty areas in various parts of the world, I can say that not many people get killed for nothing. You might get killed over something very small or trivial, yes, but over nothing? No way, and definitely not as a tourist. As long as there is not a return to the explosiveness of the 20th century (from about 1918 to 1998 let's say) , you don't have to sweat crime stats in Colombia IMO. They can fluctuate, get cooked and even increase sharply without it being a huge threat to a tourist. One tip though, travel by plane whenever possible. Many bus routes are not very safe.

[Vlg55]

You're probably right, but it's still important to keep in mind that Medellin still has extremely high crime and murder rates. Especially for the guys who wander off the beaten path. Medellin cops don't seem to be doing a sensational job at keeping people alive. Don't forget it was only about a year ago the armed robbery at a hostel in poblado where a gringo was shot and killed.

Maybe I should've posted this in the security in Colombia section. Sorry about that.

Just recently in Medellin. I feel much safer in El Poblado walking alone past midnite than I did in parts of Brooklyn when I lived in NYC. I recall 2 incidents in Brooklyn. 1) the worst-this chick I know was followed and cornered going to the train got robbed of her Iphone at gunpoint. (2) I let a friend out of my car to get something to drink at a store-he got haraseed by 5 people just because he looked different than what those assholes liked. May I say both were minding their own business and not so called acting stupid. Surprised New York did, nt make it to that top dangerous in the US list! I cannot speak for all of Medellin since I was in 1 area, but I would prefer El Poblado over Brooklyn anytime!

[Rjsss212]

To put things in perspective, here are the cities with the highest murder rates in the US.

Eight large cities in the US have a higher murder rate than Medellin, some much higher.

You lost me, how does this "put things in perspective"?

[Nabru]

. Here's a list of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world, based on murder per capita, including America cities.

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-m...d-2013-11?op=1

I was surprised to see Santa Marta on that list, but even more surprised not to see any cities from the middle east or Africa.

[MiamiSammy]

To put things in perspective, here are the cities with the highest murder rates in the US. (2012 stats)

Number of murders per 100, 000 population:

Flint, MI 64. 9.

Detroit 54. 6.

New Orleans 52. 5.

St. Louis, MO 35. 5.

Baltimore 35.

Newark, NJ 33. 1.

Oakland, CA 33. 1.

Baton Rouge 28. 9.

Cleveland 24. 6.

Memphis 24. 1.

The population of the city of Medellin, not including surrounding cities, in 2013 was 2. 4 million. If we say that all 654 people who disappeared were murdered, that is 27. 25 murders per 100, 000 population. Eight large cities in the US have a higher murder rate than Medellin, some much higher.

As much as I abhor ignorance, I appreciate intelligence. Well said.

MS

[Fun Luvr]

http://colombiareports.co/forced-dis...lin-ombudsman/

"In 2013 654 people were reported disappeared in Medellin, compared with 521 in 2012. * The bodies of 32 of the disappeared found in 2013 able the 17 bodies found in 2012."

To put things in perspective, here are the cities with the highest murder rates in the US. (2012 stats)

Number of murders per 100,000 population:

Flint, MI 64. 9.

Detroit 54. 6.

New Orleans 52. 5.

St. Louis, MO 35. 5.

Baltimore 35.

Newark, NJ 33. 1.

Oakland, CA 33. 1.

Baton Rouge 28. 9.

Cleveland 24. 6.

Memphis 24. 1.

The population of the city of Medellin, not including surrounding cities, in 2013 was 2.4 million. If we say that all 654 people who disappeared were murdered, that is 27.25 murders per 100,000 population. Eight large cities in the US have a higher murder rate than Medellin, some much higher.

[MiamiSammy]

You're probably right, but it's still important to keep in mind that Medellin still has extremely high crime and murder rates. Especially for the guys who wander off the beaten path. Medellin cops don't seem to be doing a sensational job at keeping people alive. Don't forget it was only about a year ago the armed robbery at a hostel in poblado where a gringo was shot and killed.

Maybe I should've posted this in the security in Colombia section. Sorry about that.

I really don't like the spread of ignorance. Any due diligence shows quickly that the only real issue Colombia currently has are some rogue elements of FARQ- FARQ themselves, who are one of the major players historically have signed a treaty rejecting kidnapping, overall seem to be adhering to it. Medellin is a city of 2.5 million, and as such it is an inherently dangerous place. If you are to be abducted in Medellin or elsewhere in Colombia the overwhelming odds are that it would be if you were backpacking in the woods, especially in the largely uninhabited area of the NW, where FARQ is strong. If they get you in Medellin, they're probably just going to slit your throat and pick your pockets like any other major city and dump your stupid ass in an alley somewhere convenient, if that. That being said, yes, Medellin is dangerous and even Colombians recognize this. They have an addage,"dar papaya" which essentially refers to "don't be the only papaya within reach". If you're low hanging fruit, you'll get picked. Here's a list of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world, based on murder per capita, including America cities. http://www.businessinsider.com/the-m...d-2013-11?op=1

Stop perpetuating this perception that Medellin is somehow still as dangerous as it was twenty years ago. It's made progress we could only hope Detroit, St. Louis or Baltimore might emulate, not to mention Mexico. You're in a big city in a foreign land that is not protected by the US Constitution. Act like it and you'll be fine. Show some respect. Don't get shitfaced. Don't be stupid. Have a good time.

[Jinxx]

Let's not conflate gringo safety issues with forced displacement. No one is going to knock on your door at the Mansion and offer you the silver or the lead LOL.

You're probably right, but it's still important to keep in mind that Medellin still has extremely high crime and murder rates. Especially for the guys who wander off the beaten path. Medellin cops don't seem to be doing a sensational job at keeping people alive. Don't forget it was only about a year ago the armed robbery at a hostel in poblado where a gringo was shot and killed.

Maybe I should've posted this in the security in Colombia section. Sorry about that.

[Member #4244]

http://colombiareports.co/forced-dis...lin-ombudsman/

"In 2013 654 people were reported disappeared in Medellin, compared with 521 in 2012. * The bodies of 32 of the disappeared found in 2013 able the 17 bodies found in 2012."

Let's not conflate gringo safety issues with forced displacement. No one is going to knock on your door at the Mansion and offer you the silver or the lead LOL.

[Jinxx]

http://colombiareports.co/forced-dis...lin-ombudsman/

"In 2013 654 people were reported disappeared in Medellin, compared with 521 in 2012. * The bodies of 32 of the disappeared found in 2013 able the 17 bodies found in 2012."