General News

International Monetary Fund Hails ‘Medellín Miracle’ in Interview with Former Mayor Federico Gutierrez

Medellin Herald July 28, 2020

Former Medellin Mayor Federico Gutiérrez (2016-2019) once again is helping to move Medellin into the limelight via an interview published in the latest edition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Finance & Development monthly magazine. The former Mayor – now a national political

Other Norms

Seniors 70-and-Over Win Every-Day Exercise Privileges — but Not Yet in Medellin

Medellin Herald July 17, 2020

Colombia’s Health Ministry announced July 17 that because of recent court decisions, people 70-and-over now legally enjoy two-hours-per-day outdoor exercise privileges – not just three times/week under the Covid-19 regulations, but rather every single day. Problem: Medellin simultaneously is banning all outdoor exercise by all persons – not just seniors – until Sunday,

Editorial

Voters Give President Duque 60% Favorability Rating During Covid-19 Crisis; Medellin Mayor Tops All Politicians

Medellin Herald July 14, 2020

The latest EcoAnalitica-Guarumo scientific survey of 2,122 voters across Colombia gives President Ivan Duque a 60% favorability ranking during the continuing Covid-19 crisis — a slight decline from 63% favorability in the last survey in April. The July 8-11 survey of voters in all major and minor Colombia cities has a margin of error of […]

Health & Insurance.

Low-Cost ‘InnspiraMED’ Ventilators to Debut in Patient Trials as Covid-19 Cases Mount

Medellin Herald July 12, 2020

The Medellin-based “InnspiraMED” consortium producing relatively low-cost ventilators for critical Covid-19 victims got a big boost July 11 when Colombia President Ivan Duque came to Medellin to see for himself these in-development technologies. According to “InnspiraMed” project coordinator Ruta N, “President Duque received information on the equipment delivery process

Health & Insurance.

Covid-19 Growth in Antioquia Prompts ‘Orange Alert,’ Cancellation of Non-Emergency Surgeries, Dentistry

Medellin Herald July 10, 2020

Acting Antioquia Governor Luis Fernando Suárez Vélez on July 9 issued an “orange alert” as growing Covid-19 cases have now grabbed 50% of intensive care unit (ICU) capacity in Antioquia. Following the alert, Antioquia Health Secretary Lina María Bustamante Sánchez ordered a department-wide restriction on non-emergency surgeries or dental work in order to ensure more […]

General News

EPM, Medellin Mayor Postpone Debate on Huge Business-Expansion Schemes; Hail Successful Bond Offering

Medellin Herald July 10, 2020

Medellin-based multinational utilities giant EPM announced July 10 that it supports Medellin Mayor Daniel Quintero’s new decision to postpone debate on a proposal that would vastly expand EPM’s areas of business. The proposal (see Medellin Herald July 3, 2020) would have EPM launch into whole new areas nationally and internationally, including highway and mass-transit

Infrastructure

‘Puerto Antioquia’ Ocean-Freight Project Gets US$110 Million Term Loan

Medellin Herald July 9, 2020

The long-awaited development of the “Puerto Antioquia” ocean-freight port near Turbo, Antioquia, just got a US$110 million term-loan investment from New York-based Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). According to the GIP announcement – which project developer Andres Felipe Bustos of Medellin-based Puertos Inversiones y Obras (PioSAS) confirmed to Medellin Herald as

Companies

PharmaCielo Wins Colombian Government OK for 10 Tons of High-THC Marijuana Cultivation, Processing, Export of Psychoactive Extracts

Medellin Herald July 8, 2020

Medellin-based PharmaCielo Colombia and its Toronto-based parent company announced July 8 that it won Colombian government authorization to cultivate 10 tonnes of marijuana with high content of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the psychoactive component of pot) and export of medicinal extracts. The authorization “enables PharmaCielo to produce and deliver psychoactive extracts

General News

EPM Completes 95% of US$330 Million Social, Environmental Spending Around Hidroituango Project in Antioquia

Medellin Herald July 8, 2020

Medellin-based electric power giant EPM revealed July 8 that it has now spent 95% of its COP$1.2 trillion (US$330 million) budget for social and environmental projects in 13 municipalities around its 2.4-gigawatt “Hidroituango” hydroelectric project in Antioquia. The massive spending is benefitting both people and the environment in-and-around the towns of Briceño,

Colombian economy

Colombia Business Sector Liquidity Improves Thanks to Gradual Reopenings

Medellin Herald July 8, 2020

ANDI — Colombia’s biggest industrial-commercial trade association — announced July 8 that its most recent survey of 200 major companies shows that business liquidity is starting to improve thanks to the gradual reopening of various economic sectors during the current Covid-19 crisis. During the height of the national quarantine and business shutdowns in April,