General News

Hidroituango Insurance-Adjuster’s Findings on Tunnel Collapse Similar to Skava Consulting’s Report to EPM — but Political Accusations Nevertheless Ensue

Medellin Herald September 7, 2020

A just-released Hidroituango tunnel-collapse report for Mapfre Insurance’s UK-based reinsurance loss adjuster Advanta Global Services – publicly revealed today (September 7) via Medellin Mayor Daniel Quintero’s Twitter account – sparks renewed “corruption” and “cover-up” accusations brought by

General News

Hidroituango Contractor Lawsuit Could Produce Huge Loss for EPM: Court Risks, Counter-Suits, Lost Power Sales, Insurance Denials, Delays, Grid Reliability Charges

Medellin Herald September 5, 2020

EPM’s professional employees union Sinpro on September 4 unveiled a disturbing analysis warning that residents downstream of the Hidroituango hydropower project who earlier sued EPM could seek to grab at least some of the COP$9.9 trillion/US$2.6 billion damages award being sought by EPM in a “conciliation” lawsuit against Hidroituango contractors and insurers. Sinpro adds

General News

Medellin Metro Boosts Passenger Capacity Limit to 50%

Medellin Herald September 3, 2020

Following a new regulation issued by Colombia’s Health Ministry allowing a boost in public-transport passenger capacity, Metro de Medellin announced September 3 it’s switching to a 50% limit on capacity – up from 35% previously. Both limits are designed to help thwart Covid-19 cross infections by reducing crowding, according to Metro and the Health Ministry. The […]

General News

VivaAir, Avianca, LatAm, EasyFly Resume Domestic Flights at Medellin’s JMC Airport

Medellin Herald September 1, 2020

Airplan – operator of Medellin’s Jose Maria Cordova (JMC) international aiport – announced September 1 the resumption of flights by four air carriers to seven Colombian cities today. VivaAir was first out of the gate for its new service from JMC to Cali, as well as to Santa Marta, San Andres and Bogota.  Avianca likewise […]

General News

Avianca Restarts Medellin-Bogota Flights September 1; Medellin-Cali, Medellin-Cartagena Restart September 7

Medellin Herald August 28, 2020

Colombia’s biggest national airline Avianca announced August 27 that it will restart national flights from Medellin’s Jose Maria Cordova (JMC) airport to-and-from Bogota starting September 1, then on September 7 relaunch flights at JMC to-and-from Cali and Cartagena. Following five months grounded because of Covid-19 quarantines, Avianca restarts with 14 national routes,

Health & Insurance.

Colombia to Test Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 Vaccine in September

Medellin Herald August 25, 2020

Colombia Health Minister Fernando Ruiz announced August 24 that 60,000 volunteers here will participate in a test next month of a Covid-19 vaccine developed by U.S.-based health-care giant Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen subsidiary. “With this [Janssen] company we have been working for more than a month in conversations about the possibility of conducting phase-3 clinical

General News

Medellin’s Downtown EOH Airport Wins OK to Restart Flights to 10 Cities; Cali-Medellin Route Also Opens to-and-from JMC

Medellin Herald August 25, 2020

Colombia’s Aerocivil aviation authority announced August 24 that Medellin’s downtown Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH) just won rights to restart flights to-and-from 10 cities in Colombia. Simultaneously, flights to and from Cali and Medellin’s Jose Maria Cordova (JMC) international airport at Rionegro also are now allowed, after five months of Covid-19 quarantine shutdowns.

General News

Medellin Metro Area Economic Expansions Restart Next Week through November

Medellin Herald August 24, 2020

Medellin Mayor Daniel Quintero and representatives of the 10 municipalities in Area Metropolitana de Valle de Aburra (AMVA) announced August 24 that they’ve approved a broader economic-reopening schedule that starts now with inter-city bus transport and next week with restaurants and some national flights. According to AMVA, “the following sectors are being reopened:

General News

EPM Contradicts Ex-Governor Luis Perez’s Claims of ‘Disastrous’ Expansion Strategy

Medellin Herald August 22, 2020

Medellin-based electric power and utilities conglomerate EPM is publicly clashing with former Antioquia Governor Luis Perez (2016-2019) over a 15-years-long, debt-financed expansion strategy that has catapulted EPM from just another a local utility to a multinational giant. “From the path traced in 2006, EPM has become a business group that today has 14 affiliates and […]

Infrastructure

Crucial ‘Pacifico 2’ Highway Linking Medellin to Pacific Port Now 89% Complete; ‘Pacifico 1’ Landslide Won’t Affect Construction Deadline: ANI

Medellin Herald August 21, 2020

Agencia Nacional de Infraestrucutura (ANI, Colombia’s national infrastructure agency) announced August 21 that the COP$1.7 trillion (US$443 million) “Pacifico 2” highway linking Medellin and southwest Antioquia to the Pacific port of Buenaventura is now 89% complete. The 96.5-kilometers-long “Pacífico 2” project is linked to “Pacific 3” southward and “Pacifico 1”