Medellin Reports

[Nil Admirari]

Here are the druggings, robberies, and death number for foreigners in Medellin. For the recent talk of folks going to Belen, it appears that you will be 14 times more likely to be robbed in Poblado than in Belen. So you are actually less safe by staying in tourist infested areas. ...

Thanks for the graphics. Interesting, but with an asterisk attached.

No surprise. Intuitively, all of us who know Medellin would imagine that outlying middle class neighborhoods removed from the nightlife action would be safer. And the first of your appended charts (on "Hurtos por Comuna" or "Thefts per Commune or Neighborhood") would, as you note, seem to confirm this to a dramatic degree.

But one needs more information to be able to interpret the graphic in a meaningful way. As is, it's like comparing apples and oranges.

Are the numbers absolute numbers (like total thefts per year)? Or some ratio like thefts per 1000 residents? In either case, one needs to know the population of each Comuna to make sense of the numbers.

And also one has to take into account that, in addition to residents, the streets of El Centro, Poblado, and Laureles, are populated daily with an influx of thousands of visitors from outside their boundaries.

Taking all the above into account, the difference in the risk for any one individual of being robbed in Poblado or Laureles vs Belen may not be as dramatic (14 to 1) as implied by the graphic.

[June Fly]

Here are the druggings, robberies, and death number for foreigners in Medellin. For the recent talk of folks going to Belen, it appears that you will be 14 times more likely to be robbed in Poblado than in Belen. So you are actually less safe by staying in tourist infested areas. Keep in mind that this does not include the cases that people have not reported due to being ashamed or not wanting to brave the language barrier.

Accurate about Belen. I stayed in Belen at Hotel Molinos for a week and it was a pleasant one compared to Poblado and downtown areas. It was a good middle class residential suburb, calmer and more authentic Colombian feel. Uber drivers even rolled down the windows so we could enjoy the weather and scenery while reassuring me that the area is safe. It is walkable to nearby casas, restaurants, and spas at least during the daytime.

[Chocha Monger]

Here are the druggings, robberies, and death number for foreigners in Medellin. For the recent talk of folks going to Belen, it appears that you will be 14 times more likely to be robbed in Poblado than in Belen. So you are actually less safe by staying in tourist infested areas. Keep in mind that this does not include the cases that people have not reported due to being ashamed or not wanting to brave the language barrier.

Nice data presentation. It looks like their preferred prey is an American male out in public at night and early morning hours before sunrise. And it is about 50/50 that he will be scoped or held up with a heater. So, don't disclose American citizenship. One of the first questions the hoes ask is, "Where you from, Papacito?" Just say anywhere else except America or Mexico. LOL! Avoid the tourist areas and don't monger between sun down and sun up. Remain in a private area during hours of darkness, and you will be fine. Casas are not on the list of dangerous places.

[The Cane]

I get your question meaning why not tell them they can't go? Because that would be a violation of their rights and frankly no one cares any country would love it if their sex offenders hopped a plane and went else where so actually the Government kinda wants the sex offender to go elsewhere and if they fuck up they'the gladly allow the host government to send them straight to a third world dungeon. Hope this Helps.

Trip.

No, that doesn't help. Let me see now. So, the government can tell a guy who's in arrears on his child support that he can't travel? Can even take away his passport? But it can't impose the same kind of restriction on a sex offender because that would violate his rights? Oh boo hoo! I don't give a rat's ass about his right to travel and neither should anyone else. If Uncle Sam can stop deadbeat dads from traveling, it can stop sex offenders from traveling too. But once again, Americans are far too concerned with their rights and self expression, and not concerned enough with their obligations and self restraint!

[Triple Darknes]

Well, I'm suggesting that maybe it ought to be something different. The United States government does an outstanding job of coming up with lists of places you can't go to and things you can't do without being punished. Maybe we ought to think about whether or not a convicted sex offender ought to have the same right to travel as everyone else does, especially when it's clear our own government actually doesn't welcome or support the travel, at least to certain places anyway. That's why they're alerting the foreign authorities no? So, why not prohibit the travel in the first place? The government prohibits travel under other circumstances. So why not for this? And problem solved with known sex offenders being turned away upon arrival. The Colombians would love it!

No one gives a fuck about these guys. Besides anyone with a ounce of sense already knows where they can go and not go. A Deep Red line needs to be drawn in the sand a Monger is not a sex offender. I don't want to help those guys but the short answer is anyplace that has a active forum with daily reports especially if they have a stupid shit subforum is not the country to visit as that country has enough tourism to be selective on who they let in You go to a place where the forum is a literal ghost town and they'll be let in and even granted leeway if they make another ¨mistake¨.

I get your question meaning why not tell them they can't go? Because that would be a violation of their rights and frankly no one cares any country would love it if their sex offenders hopped a plane and went else where so actually the Government kinda wants the sex offender to go elsewhere and if they fuck up they'the gladly allow the host government to send them straight to a third world dungeon.

Hope this Helps.

Trip.

[Combo]

From what I understand, they've never stopped anyone wearing a bow tie from entering.

[Huacho]

I go on booking.com and reserve a name brand hotel, then I print out the confirmation. Then I cancel the name brand hotel and stay wherever. They can check airline reservations but not hotels.

[GringoLoko]

That is not a low profile, that's a neon sign blinking "I'm a fresh fish-out-the-water rich-tourist here for your taking! Especially if the ballcap was a matching Nike branded one. " LOL.

Low profile is brandless dark sneakers, generic dark blue or black jeans, monochromatic boring no-imagery / no-logo t-shirt (over the pants), dark Timex style cheap watch or no watch at all, no jewelry, and walk around relaxed like you live there yet hate the place. If you must wear a ballcap, curved lid type, dark with no distinct logo. Fits into the cheapest / low places and fanciest places (if planning to walk into a place with a dress-code, use the black jeans and no cap). My time training in Fredericksburg was good for something after all.

Couldn't have said it better.

[Knowledge]

I couldn't agree more.

Any idiot on the registry can go to a website that will tell him if he will likely be admitted into a country. But if they wer smart they wouldn't be on the registry in the first place so some dumbasses book a flight and cross their fingers. Actually there's ways around it depending on the situation and location but fuck those guys.

Hope this Helps.

Trip.

[Chocha Monger]

Well, that seems like a waste to me. It's like when a guy is on a terrorist watch list. He hasn't done anything wrong has he? But the authorities are supposed to be "watching" him. Then he goes out and buys guns and ammo and shoots up the place! He was on the terrorist watch list. He shouldn't have been allowed to go out and buy that stuff to do what he did and commit a terrorist act, having been on the list. A known and convicted sex offender (he in fact already did do something wrong to get on the list) shouldn't be allowed to board a plane and head off to a country internationally known to be a sex tourist destination where he might have an opportunity to do what he did again. Seems to me that would serve to be the best kind of deterrence and make the most sense. But of course, what makes sense too often doesn't rule the day does it? The American authorities wouldn't have to apprehend him and embarrass him by putting his toy collection on display. They could just say sorry you're not going anywhere. And the fact that he already spent money on a plane ticket, accommodations, and whatever else, well that exact same financial pain would be incurred and felt regardless of which border the guy was denied from crossing, whether it's the American to exit or Colombian one to enter. Again, just trying to make sense of it all.

Theoretically, they could just use their computer programs to profile mongers based on travel history, social media activity, phone data, etc. Then put them all on the no-fly list but that would not be a very politically popular move for those implementing that policy. There have been whispers that artificial intelligence and the data center boom have enabled pre-crime analysis and prediction of who is likely to commit certain crimes. China already has such social credit systems where the authorities can blackball citizens from financial and transit systems, making their lives more difficult.

However, banning convicted sex offenders from travel after they serve their sentences is contrary to the American belief in rehabilitation and redemption. The system and society would have to admit that they do not believe in ex-cons going straight.

That said. It probably wouldn't be long into the future where they plug in Cerebro and say, "Find the mongers. Find them. Find all of the mongers!" Then it will be the end of the hobby.

[Mr Enternational]

Here are the druggings, robberies, and death number for foreigners in Medellin. For the recent talk of folks going to Belen, it appears that you will be 14 times more likely to be robbed in Poblado than in Belen. So you are actually less safe by staying in tourist infested areas. Keep in mind that this does not include the cases that people have not reported due to being ashamed or not wanting to brave the language barrier.

[Vitrea]

Very well summarized. I come to Medellin pretty close to 10 times a year, mainly for work. I personally never had an issue and I have never known anyone to have had an issue, though all media reports are real. Like most of you said, the relative numbers are really small and a lot of common sense advice is already being delivered on this forum.

One tip I would like to add is this. Stay at a hotel and have the booking and address handy. Just show them when they ask where are you staying? That is typically the first question and majority of the time, the only question they ask. A hotel stay immediately tells him that you are not about to do some major stupid stuff. They know there will be atleast ID checks and you are less likely to get yourself in trouble, from their perspective. Staying at an Airbnb, can be the start of more questions. Of course 100's everyday are staying at Airbnb's every day with no issue but this is what one friendly immigration agent told me. Some Airbnb's are flagged for issues in the past even some buildings like Enxxxx are also immediate flags for more questions.

Agreed with Catbert55 and others calling for calm and common sense when contemplating whether and how to brave immigration on arriving at the Medellin airport.

FIRST, WHO KNOWS? No one writing on this board has the faintest idea what goes on behind the counter at passport control in Medellin--why on any given day any given passport agent decides to pull a guy out of line and take him into the backroom for questioning. And to search his cell phone and suitcase. Perhaps for his behavior in line; perhaps for how he's dressed; perhaps for his body language and how he answers questions at the booth; perhaps because his name / passport has already been red flagged in advance in the agent's computer; perhaps on that day the agents have just been told to make an example of some random dudes. Perhaps all of the above on any one day or another. Again, who knows?

SECOND, FOR SURE, RELAX. AND TAKE A REALISTIC LOOK AT THE ODDS. As others have pointed out, there must be 10's of thousands, even perhaps over a 100 thousand single guys passing through passport control every year and just a handful pulled and sent home. No matter how you are dressed or behaving in line, your chances of ending in the back room are small, almost nonexistent.

THIRD, NONETHELESS, WHY NOT BE PRUDENT AND, IN THE SIMPLEST OF WAYS, PREPARED? Even IF the chances of being taken from line and perhaps deported are minuscule, why not dress normally, behave politely? And, most importantly, as others have mentioned, be ready with the address of where you will be staying, and to describe what you will be doing in Colombia (other than chasing skirts) with a couple of examples. For example: Studying Spanish: the name of a Spanish school. Tourism: The name of a museum or two; a visit to the coffee region and Guatape.

That said, I respect those like Mr. International who have been in and out of Colombia a zillion times, who say I'm not going to change how I dress for travel on the tiny off-chance that a passport agent might single me out. But then, to retain our admiration, one has to be philosophical if the improbable does happen. There are other mongering Happy Hunting Grounds in the world.

[DiscoverFL]

..the black Nike track suit with the ballcap ... it's better to keep a low profile.

That is not a low profile, that's a neon sign blinking "I'm a fresh fish-out-the-water rich-tourist here for your taking! Especially if the ballcap was a matching Nike branded one. " LOL.

Low profile is brandless dark sneakers, generic dark blue or black jeans, monochromatic boring no-imagery / no-logo t-shirt (over the pants), dark Timex style cheap watch or no watch at all, no jewelry, and walk around relaxed like you live there yet hate the place. If you must wear a ballcap, curved lid type, dark with no distinct logo. Fits into the cheapest / low places and fanciest places (if planning to walk into a place with a dress-code, use the black jeans and no cap). My time training in Fredericksburg was good for something after all.

[The Cane]

Sex offenders who complete their sentences are allowed to travel internationally. They would not otherwise be allowed to have passports. It's up to the destination countries to admit them or not. People on sex offender registries have the same rights as anyone else except for certain key restrictions such as reporting their addresses and appearing on registries.

Well, I'm suggesting that maybe it ought to be something different. The United States government does an outstanding job of coming up with lists of places you can't go to and things you can't do without being punished. Maybe we ought to think about whether or not a convicted sex offender ought to have the same right to travel as everyone else does, especially when it's clear our own government actually doesn't welcome or support the travel, at least to certain places anyway. That's why they're alerting the foreign authorities no? So, why not prohibit the travel in the first place? The government prohibits travel under other circumstances. So why not for this? And problem solved with known sex offenders being turned away upon arrival. The Colombians would love it!

[Triple Darknes]

Sex offenders who complete their sentences are allowed to travel internationally. They would not otherwise be allowed to have passports. It's up to the destination countries to admit them or not. People on sex offender registries have the same rights as anyone else except for certain key restrictions such as reporting their addresses and appearing on registries.

Any idiot on the registry can go to a website that will tell him if he will likely be admitted into a country. But if they wer smart they wouldn't be on the registry in the first place so some dumbasses book a flight and cross their fingers. Actually there's ways around it depending on the situation and location but fuck those guys.

Hope this Helps.

Trip.