Infrastructure

Medellin’s ‘Plaza Mayor’ Convention Center Unveils US$9.4 Million Expansion Scheme, Including New Hotel

Medellin Herald November 15, 2019

Medellin’s “Plaza Mayor” on November 14 unveiled a COP$32 billion (US$9.4 million) expansion plan that over the next 10 years would modernize a host of convention facilities and add a new hotel. The “2019-2029 Events with a Future” scheme includes 10 proposals both within and outside the

General News

Colombia’s Controller-General Probing 2 Former Medellin Mayors, 2 Former Antioquia Governors over Hidroituango Construction Errors, Financial Losses

Medellin Herald November 14, 2019

Colombia’s Controller General (Contraloria General de la Republica, CGR) Carlos Felipe Córdoba Larrarte announced November 14 that his agency has opened an investigation into two former Medellin Mayors, two former Antioquia Governors and three EPM representatives potentially responsible for construction errors and financial losses resulting from the collapse of a diversion

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. The highway on top of the new dam — which spans the Cauca River […]

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