General News

EPM Debuts Hidroituango Highway, Touts Social Reconstruction Projects

Medellin Herald November 8, 2019

Medellin-based electric power giant EPM on November 8 debuted a new, 550-meters-long highway atop its US$5 billion “Hidroituango” hydroelectric dam – and almost simultaneously highlighted numerous social reconstruction projects in communities affected by a May 2018 flood downstream of the dam.

General News

Medellin Voters Elect Independent Daniel Quintero Calle for Mayor; Former Governor, Mayor Anibal Gaviria Repeats as Antioquia Governor

Medellin Herald October 28, 2019

Voters in Medellin and the surrounding Antioquia department on October 27 continued a long tradition of electing relatively young, energetic, politically moderate mayors along with older, more-experienced governors who are more interested in delivering practical, concrete results rather than poseurs flaunting left-wing or right-wing flamboyance. Relative newcomer Daniel

Infrastructure

Crucial ‘Vias del Nus’ Highway Between Medellin, Atlantic Ports to Open at End-2020

Medellin Herald October 3, 2019

Colombia’s Agencia Nacional de Infraestructura (ANI, the national infrastructure agency) announced October 2 that the crucial “Vias del Nus” connecting Medellin’s northern suburbs to Atlantic ports will open for traffic by end-2020. The 157.4-kilometers-long project includes 24.3 kilometers of four-lane divided highway, the twin-tube “Túnel de la Quiebra” tunnels,

Infrastructure

EPM: Enormous Environmental, Fiscal Benefits Nationally & Locally as Hidroituango Recovery Begins

Medellin Herald September 28, 2019

Medellin-based power giant EPM on September 27 gave journalists a first public tour of the start of recovery work in the damaged machine room of the US$5 billion, 2.4-gigawatt “Hidroituango” hydroelectric project in Antioquia. Having already reached crucial milestones including completion of the engineered spillway, raising the dam to its final height and draining water

Infrastructure

Update: EPM Notes that Controller General’s Hidroituango Report Doesn’t Find Corruption, Malfeasance

Medellin Herald September 20, 2019

Medellin-based electric power giant EPM on September 25 issued a bulletin pointing out that nothing in the latest Colombian Controller General’s report about the US$5 billion “Hidroituango” hydroelectric project in Antioquia finds any instances of corruption. Nor does the Controller’s report point to any criminal or disciplinary actions that would result from the April

Events

Colombian Pop Star Carlos Vives Inaugurates ‘Gaira Café’ at Medellin’s JMC Airport

Medellin Herald September 12, 2019

Colombian music star Carlos Vives first gained international fame in 1993 by bringing traditional vallenato music to the whole world, via the sensational hit-single, “La Gota Fria.” Ever since, Vives’ pioneering group “La Provincia” has frequently topped the Latin American pop-music charts — as well as popular music-video internet links. Besides winning numerous

Congresses & Conferences

Antioquian Coffee Industry Joins Booming Specialty-Coffees Initiative

Medellin Herald September 2, 2019

Antioquian coffee growers, marketers, cooperatives, trade associations, educators, governments and the Medellin Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia (“CCMA” in Spanish initials) are brewing-up a remarkable initiative that aims to percolate a more-profitable “specialty coffee” business — both locally and world-wide. At the third “Café Fina Experiencia” conference August

Congresses & Conferences

Medellin’s ‘Plaza Mayor’ Convention Center 1H 2019 Revenues, Profits Jump Year-on-Year

Medellin Herald August 22, 2019

Medellin’s city-owned “Plaza Mayor” convention center reported August 21 that its first-half (1H) 2019 revenues soared 43% year-on-year, to COP$13 billion (US$3.8 million). Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose to COP$3.7 billion (US$1.09 million), compared to an EBITDA net loss of COP$3 billion (US$884,000) in 2015, according to

General News

Proantioquia: Medellin, Antioquia Must Boost Industrial Specialization, Education, Infrastructure

Medellin Herald August 21, 2019

A new report from Medellin-based think-tank Proantioquia shows that the Medellin metro area and the surrounding Antioquia department must redouble efforts to boost industrial specialization, public education, public health and transport infrastructure in order to meet the challenges of the coming decade. The report (see:

Infrastructure

Responsible Social Leaders Join Hidroituango Stability-Study Forum

Medellin Herald August 16, 2019

Medellin-based electric power giant EPM announced August 15 that local leaders from communities around Puerto Valdivia, Antioquia are now participating in a broad government/citizen/EPM expert panel examining possible stability issues with the main rock massif adjacent to the giant Hidroituango hydroelectric dam in Antioquia. The decision to include the “MEDAV” (Mesa de