General News

Antioquia Governor Gaviria Charged with Corruption, Deposed; President Duque Names Temporary Replacement

Medellin Herald June 5, 2020

Colombia Attorney General Francisco Barbosa Delgado announced June 5 in a press conference that Antioquia Governor Aníbal Gaviria has been charged with alleged corrupt management of a highway construction contract during his first term as governor between 2004 and 2007. “The evidentiary

General News

Why Medellin Tops Colombia in Covid-19 Avoidance while Leading Economic Reopenings

Medellin Herald June 3, 2020

Colombia’s Health Ministry reported that as of June 2, 31,833 people had contracted Coronavirus nationally since tracking began four months ago — including 1,009 deaths and 11,142 recoveries so far. Bogota is by far the worst at 10,743 cases including 267 deaths, followed by Atlantico (4,550 cases); Cali/Valle del Cauca (3,714); Bolivar (3,364); Amazonas (1,852);

General News

Shopping Mall Tests with Contact Tracing ‘Very Positive,’ so More Medellin Malls to Reopen June 1

Medellin Herald May 28, 2020

The Medellin Mayor’s Office announced May 27 that a test reopening program at three shopping malls here confirms that Covid-19 biosafety compliance indeed is feasible — clearing the way for broader mall reopenings on June 1. “About 18,000 people [initially] participated in the pilot program to reopen shopping centers in Medellín” that started May 25, […]

General News

Medellin Mayor Unveils US$1.2 Billion, Four-Year ‘Eco-City’ Budget

Medellin Herald May 27, 2020

The Medellin Mayor’s Office on May 27 unveiled a COP$4.48 trillion (US$1.2 billion) “EcoCiudad” (Eco-City) “Medellín Futuro” four-year budget that includes environmental protection, education, recycling and expansion of zero-emissions transport. “The capital of Antioquia is committed to increasing protected areas, strategic ecosystems, restoring forest cover and

Infrastructure

EPM Reports 192 Cases of Covid-19 Among ‘Hidroituango’ Hydroelectric Project Workers

Medellin Herald May 27, 2020

EPM Social/Environmental Projects Director Ana Milena Joya Camacho revealed in a May 26 meeting with Antioquia departmental officials that 192 workers at the “Hidroituango” hydroelectric project have tested positive for Coronavirus. Because of this outbreak – first detected among 13 workers on May 12 — EPM not only has removed, isolated and ensured treatment of […]

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

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