General News

Deadly Medellin-Bogota Highway Landslide Casts Pall on Progress

Medellin Herald October 27, 2016

A huge landslide October 16 from a rock mine at kilometer 13 of the Medellin-Bogota highway in the municipality of Copacabana has claimed at least 16 lives with uncertainty remaining about several other persons that had been reported missing. Some 60,000 tonnes of rocks, dirt and mud slid down

Volunteering

USAID, Bill Gates, UK, Wellcome Launch Novel Scheme to Stop Zika, Dengue in Antioquia

Medellin Herald October 27, 2016

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the UK Department for International Development and UK-based Wellcome Foundation jointly announced October 26 that they’re funding a novel, US$18-million project to stop Zika and dengue diseases — initially focusing on Antioquia and Brazil. The project involves releasing

Health & Insurance.

Coomeva, U.S.-Based Christus Charting New Course for Medical Insurance, Coverage

Medellin Herald October 25, 2016

On the heels of finalizing a US$50 million strategic investment deal with U.S.-based Christus Health last month, Colombian health insurer and clinic operator Coomeva is moving to rationalize its service network and shore-up its financially troubled “Coomeva EPS” subsidiary. On a related front, Coomeva’s separate pre-paid health services subsidiary (Coomeva Medicina

Tourism

Copa’s Low-Cost ‘Wingo’ Subsidiary Launches Medellin-Panama Service December 2

Medellin Herald October 22, 2016

The new “Wingo” subsidiary of Copa Airlines announced October 20 that on December 2 it will launch four-times-a-week, non-stop service from Medellin’s international airport (MDE) to Panama Pacifico airport. The only other “low-cost” airline flying from MDE to Panama Pacifico — a former U.S. Air Force Base in the Panama Canal zone — is Medellin-based […]

Taxes

Colombia’s Tax Reform Proposal: Better for Business, Investment

Medellin Herald October 20, 2016

Colombia’s Home Minister (Ministro de Hacienda) Mauricio Cardenas on October 19 finally unveiled a long-awaited, 182-pages-long tax reform proposal that would bring business and investment taxes more in-line with international standards — and thus help Colombia attract more investment while creating more “formal” employment as well as more personal income taxes.

Politics

Colombian Congress OK’s COP$224 Trillion/US$76 Billion 2017 Budget

Medellin Herald October 20, 2016

The Colombian national Congress on October 19 approved a 2017 budget of COP$224 trillion (US$76 billion) on the same day that the Home Ministry (Ministerio de Hacienda) proposed a new tax-reform scheme that aims to make Colombia more competitive and attract more investment. According to the government, the newly approved budget – 6.6% larger than the current-year […]

Colombian economy

Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce Hails New Import-Export Tools, Rules

Medellin Herald October 20, 2016

The Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce (Cámara de Comercio Colombo Americana) on October 20 hailed recent advances in the “Plan Vallejo” regulatory and reporting scheme that covers imports and exports into-and-out-of Colombia. According to the group (which also calls itself “AmCham Colombia”), the Vallejo Plan now features more-efficient electronic

Colombian economy

Colombia Manufacturing Rebound Strengthens; Up 9.4% Year-on-Year

Medellin Herald October 19, 2016

Colombia’s monthly manufacturing index (“EMM” in Spanish initials) rose 9.4% year-on-year in August 2016 — the latest month for which statistics are available — according to an October 19 report from the national statistics department (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística-DANE). The recent restart of Ecopetrol’s newly rebuilt “Reficar” refinery

General News

Medellin Moves Closer to Atlantic with Highway Expansions, Proposed Rail Link

Medellin Herald October 13, 2016

Colombia’s Agencia Nacional de Infraestructura (ANI, the infrastructure development agency) announced October 12 the opening of another 12.1-kilometers stretch of four-lane divided highway linking Medellin northward to Barbosa, Pradera and other Antioquian towns. The COP$438 billion (US$149 million) project, first launched in 2013, will link to new Atlantic-coast routes

Politics

Medellin, Antioquia Led Colombia to Reject FARC ‘Peace’ Pact

Medellin Herald October 3, 2016

Medellin and Antioquia overwhelmingly voted “no” in the October 2 national plebiscite on whether to ratify a “peace” agreement between Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and the narco-terrorist Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC). While the “no” vote prevailed nationally by 50.23% versus 49.78% for “yes,” 62% of voters in Antioquia rejected the