Other Norms

Colombia Quarantine Extended to May 11; Manufacturing, Construction OK; No Passenger Flights Through May 30

Medellin Herald April 21, 2020

Colombia President Ivan Duque announced last night (April 20) in a nationwide televised address that the current Coronavirus quarantine that had been set to expire April 27 instead will be extended another two weeks—to May 11. Broader quarantines on vulnerable populations including school-age

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Antioquia’s Central Wholesale Produce Market Here Wins Coronavirus-Controls ‘OK’

Medellin Herald April 20, 2020

The “Central Mayorista” wholesale produce market in the Medellin suburb of Itagüí just got a crucial “OK” grade from Antioquia’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Rodolfo Correa Vargas during an April 18 personal inspection to check for Coronavirus prevention. Correa visited the giant Central Produce Market – by far the largest in metro Medellin, […]

Banking & Financial Services

Colombia Expands Small-Business Loan Programs Even While U.S. Programs Collapse

Medellin Herald April 16, 2020

It’s a tale of two countries: U.S. President Donald Trump announced April 15 that Coronavirus-crisis emergency loan funds to help U.S. businesses meet payroll are exhausted – just as 22 million more North Americans hit the unemployment lines — yet Colombia simultaneously expanded its loan programs by COP$16 trillion (US$4.06 billion). Colombia Treasury Minister

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Antioquia’s Coffee Growers Win Health Ministry Approval to Resume Harvest

Medellin Herald April 15, 2020

The “Comite de Cafeteros de Antioquia” (CCA, the Antioquia coffee-growers association) announced April 14 that Colombia’s Health Ministry has approved a new biosafety protocol that will enable resumption of coffee harvesting — a crucial export commodity both for Antioquia and Colombia. “Between March and June, it is expected that the first-semester [first half of

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Colombia’s Ban on International Flights to Continue Beyond April 27 Quarantine Deadline

Medellin Herald April 15, 2020

Colombia President Ivan Duque announced April 15 that while the current national Coronavirus quarantine is presumptively set to expire April 27, regular international passenger flights to and from Colombia nevertheless will continue to be banned. Even after April 27 when the current national quarantine ends, “international flights will remain closed for a longer period of

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Colombia Preparing Coronavirus ‘Protocols’ to Enable Return to Work, Production: President

Medellin Herald April 13, 2020

Colombia President Ivan Duque revealed April 13 that his government is now preparing certain regulatory “protocols” that will allow many people currently in Coronavirus quarantine to return to work, many businesses to reopen and the national economy to restart. “We are preparing to beat the Coronavirus, rather than letting the Coronavirus beat us and destroy […]

Banking & Financial Services

IMF Gives Nod to US$10 Billion Loans for Coronavirus Crisis; Small-Medium Businesses Get Payroll Help

Medellin Herald April 10, 2020

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced April 9 that its executive board will recommend approval of a US$10.8 billion line-of-credit request to help Colombian businesses and workers weather the economic downturn caused by the Coronavirus crisis. “This renewable credit line helps safeguard against external shocks by providing countries who have very strong policy

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Coronavirus Quarantine to Continue Until April 27: Colombia President

Medellin Herald April 7, 2020

Colombia President Ivan Duque announced last night (April 6) that the current Coronavirus general quarantine – initially due to expire April 13 – instead will continue for another two weeks, until April 27. What’s more, persons 70 years and older will continue to remain in quarantine until May 30, while school-age pupils of all levels […]

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Colombia President to Define Post-April-13 Quarantine Measures This Week; Mask Mandate Now National

Medellin Herald April 5, 2020

Colombia President Ivan Duque announced April 4 that his administration likely will decide early this week whether and how strict the current national Coronavirus quarantine will extend beyond the presumptive April 13 expiration. “We are working with scientists, epidemiologists, infectious disease specialists within the team of the Ministry of Health and the National

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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