Companies

Peso Depreciation Against U.S. Dollar Causes EPM to Post 1Q 2020 Net Loss

Medellin Herald May 23, 2020

Medellin-based multinational utilities giant EPM on May 22 posted a COP$276 billion (US$73 million) net loss for first quarter (1Q) 2020 –solely because its debt accounting is in U.S. dollars, rather than in sharply-depreciating Colombian pesos. “Due to accounting standards and due to the

General News

Medellin Tests 3 Types of Liberated Shopping Malls Starting May 25

Medellin Herald May 22, 2020

Medellin Mayor Daniel Quintero announced May 22 via his Twitter account that three different types of malls will be opened to the public here — under strict biosafety protocols — starting Monday, May 25, as a run-up to the planned reopening of more malls starting June 1. According to the Mayor, the three shopping malls […]

Health & Insurance.

Seguros Sura Expands Novel Home-Care Testing, Recovery Programs for Covid-19

Medellin Herald May 21, 2020

Medellin-based insurance and health-network provider Seguros Sura announced May 21 that it’s expanding a novel home-care testing-and-recovery program for Covid-19 patients. “The company is a pioneer in this model that already operates in Antioquia, and from next week in Barranquilla, Cali and Bogotá, and then in other cities in the country,” according to Sura. The […]

General News

115 Towns in Antioquia Conditionally Liberated from Covid-19 Quarantine

Medellin Herald May 21, 2020

Antioquia’s General Secretary Luis Fernando Suárez announced May 21 that 115 towns in Antioquia that haven’t had a single case of Coronavirus have now been freed from quarantines for nearly all economic sectors. None of these towns are in the Medellin metro area (Valle de Aburra), however. Nor is the city of Rionegro, where Medellin’s […]

Health & Insurance.

Telemedicine Moves to Forefront in Antioquia’s Battle Against Coronavirus

Medellin Herald May 21, 2020

Antioquia Governor Aníbal Gaviria Correa on May 20 hailed leadership by the “LivingLab-Telemedicina” patient-contact-and-testing center here in the continuing struggle to detect, contain and overcome Coronavirus. “LivingLab-Telemedicine is developing as one of the greatest successes in Antioquia in confronting the Coronavirus contingency,” Governor Gaviria said following a

Other Norms

Colombia’s Transport Minister: International Flights Banned Through August 31

Medellin Herald May 21, 2020

Colombia Transport Minister Ángela María Orozco announced last night (May 20) in a nationally televised presentation on Coronavirus regulations that regular international passenger flights to and from Colombia will be banned through August 31. The surprising announcement came just one day after President Ivan Duque stated that international and national flights —

Schools

Medellin Council to Vote on Record US$1.6 Billion Budget for Public Education

Medellin Herald May 21, 2020

Right on the heels of Colombia President Ivan Duque’s new announcement that Colombia will launch alternating-shifts of physical/virtual school and university education in August, Medellin Education Secretary Alexandra Agudelo Ruiz unveiled a record-setting COP$6.2 trillion (US$1.6 billion) budget for the coming school year. If the Medellin City Council gives approval

General News

Medellin Mayor Announces Shopping-Center Reopenings Starting June 1

Medellin Herald May 20, 2020

Medellin Mayor Daniel Quintero announced May 20 that shopping centers in Medellin gradually will reopen starting June 1 – right on the heels of President Ivan Duque’s May 19 announcement about Colombia’s transition from Covid-19 “national quarantine” to more city-specific “health emergency” status from June 1 to August 31. “The openings will be staggered according […]

Other Norms

Colombia Switches from General Quarantine to ‘Health Emergency’ June 1; Ban Continues on All Domestic, International Flights & Inter-City Travel Through June 30

Medellin Herald May 19, 2020

Colombia President Ivan Duque announced May 19 in a nationwide address that Colombia will transition from Covid-19 “general quarantine” to potentially less-severe, city-specific “health emergency” regulations starting June 1 through August 31. Differences between “quarantine” and “health emergency” regulatory limits could prove to be relatively great in areas

Companies

Grupo Orbis Trims Net Loss in 1Q 2020 versus 1Q 2019

Medellin Herald May 17, 2020

Medellin-based Grupo Orbis – owner of “Pintuco” paints, “Andercol” packaging products, “O-Tek” water treatments and “Mundial” hardware products – revealed in a May 15 filing with Colombia’s Superfinanciera oversight agency that it posted a COP$2.28 billion (US$582,000) net loss for first quarter (1Q) 2020. That was a 32% improvement over the COP$3.34 billion (US$853,000)