General News

USAID ‘Legal Gold’ Project Paying Off Financially, Environmentally for Small Miners

Medellin Herald January 23, 2020

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) “Oro Legal” (Legal Gold) project in Antioquia announced January 23 that between the September 2016 launch of the project and October 2019, dozens of formerly artisanal miners in the project produced 2.9 tons of gold worth more than US$112

Infrastructure

Crucial Medellin-to-Atlantic Highway Nears Financing Deal; Includes National Government

Medellin Herald January 23, 2020

Colombia’s national government is about to unveil a new, COP$1.4 trillion (US$416 million) financing plan to ensure completion of the “phase two” section of highway connecting Santa Fe de Antioquia to the under-construction “Toyo” tunnel — both of which will link Medellin westward to new and existing Atlantic freight ports as part of the “Mar […]

Editorial

Mostly Peaceful Protests Show Medellin Once Again Outshines Bogota, Rest of Colombia

Medellin Herald January 22, 2020

Despite isolated acts of vandalism in Medellin by small groups of extreme left-wingers who attacked a few municipal bus stations, police stations, bank offices and a hotel during a January 21 protest march here, Medellin mainly demonstrated once again that peaceful protest is respected by nearly all its citizens. Contrast that to Bogota where left-wing […]

Other Norms

Colombia Government Developing New Law Enabling Uber-Type Taxi Operations

Medellin Herald January 15, 2020

Colombia’s national innovation and digital transformation adviser to President Ivan Duque publicly announced January 14 that the Duque administration and various allies in the Colombian Congress are developing a new law that will legalize more technology-platform taxi operations — like the now-illegal “Uber” taxis. Government initiatives to ban unlicensed taxis

Professional services

Colombia Launches ‘Internationalization Factory’ Scheme to Aid Exports

Medellin Herald January 10, 2020

Colombia’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Tourism (“MinCit”) and the ProColombia export promotion agency jointly announced January 9 a new “internationalization factory” scheme that aims to expand exports – hence boosting local employment, corporate profits, resulting tax revenues and a better national balance-of-payments situation. According to MinCit Minister José

Editorial

Ex-FARC, Criminal Miners Kill Social Leaders; Cauca Replaces Antioquia as Main Center of Violence; President Duque Responding

Medellin Herald January 10, 2020

Certain politically biased non-government organizations (NGOs), several left-wing politicos, some naïve blogs and fake-news outfits in Colombia repeatedly and overwhelmingly blame former President Alvaro Uribe, his political successors and the Colombian army for murders of various social activists following the 2016 “peace” agreement between the Colombian government and

Companies

Canada’s Para Resources Buys Mineros SA Subsidiary in Colombia

Medellin Herald January 10, 2020

Medellin-based international gold mining giant Mineros SA announced January 9 that it sold 100% of its “Operadora Minera SAS” subsidiary in Colombia to Canada-based gold miner Para Resources. “The offer includes the sale of 100% of the shares of Operadora Minera and the mining title ‘GJJ101’ corresponding to the Nechi [Antioquia] project for a total […]

Congresses & Conferences

Medellin Expands Textile Congresses in Alliance with German Trade Group

Medellin Herald January 10, 2020

Medellin-based international textile/fashion trade group Inexmoda announced January 8 a new alliance deal with Germany’s Messe Frankfurt for the April 27-29, 2021 debut of the “Heimtextil” trade fair at Medellin’s Plaza Mayor convention center. “Heimtextil is the most important world event in the industry and the largest international trade fair for the textile sector,

Economy & Finance

Colombia’s Economy Improving, but Key Challenges Remain: Andi Annual Study

Medellin Herald January 3, 2020

Andi — Colombia’s biggest and most influential industrial-commercial trade association, born in Medellin – on January 3 issued its latest annual economic outlook report, finding that Colombia continues to improve in several key economic competitiveness areas — but still lags in others. “Colombia ends 2019 with a fairly acceptable performance in the economic

Taxes

President Duque Signs 2020 National Tax Law; Favors Lower-Income Groups, Jobs Growth

Medellin Herald December 28, 2019

Colombia President Ivan Duque on December 27 signed into law a new national tax bill that mainly helps lower-income people and incentivizes job growth in legal industries. The new law “seeks to continue promoting economic development and creates the basis for reducing inequality and closing income gaps in the country,” according to the official press […]