VaxThera S.A.S., a Colombian biotechnology company backed by Grupo SURA (BVC: GRUPOSURA; OTC: GIVSY), and Codagenix Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Farmingdale, New York, announced September 15, 2026, that they have reached an agreement on terms for VaxThera to exclusively license a synthetic yellow fever vaccine candidate from Codagenix. Under the agreement, VaxThera plans to take the candidate, known as Syn17D-YF (CDX-470), through manufacturing, preclinical and clinical development, regulatory registration and commercialization in markets the companies have not yet specified.

Codagenix describes Syn17D-YF as the world’s first fully synthetic yellow fever vaccine candidate built for modern cell-culture manufacturing. The company says the candidate’s synthetic DNA sequence matches the genome of yellow fever vaccine strain 17D-204, the strain behind YF-VAX, the version manufactured by Sanofi (EPA: SAN; NASDAQ: SNY) and authorized by the FDA in the United States, as well as the Robert Koch Institute‘s own 17D strain and the World Health Organization‘s 17D Reference Lot 168-73. Codagenix says its own testing found the candidate to be genetically stable and capable of high yields in cell culture without the mutations toward pathogenicity that have defeated earlier attempts to move 17D-204 derivatives out of eggs.

Every yellow fever vaccine currently licensed anywhere traces back to the Asibi or 17D-204 strains isolated in the 1930s, and all of them are still produced in embryonated chicken eggs, a process that limits how quickly manufacturers can scale output and that researchers have linked to recurring shortages and a comparatively poor reactogenicity profile tied to egg- and process-related impurities. Codagenix says its cell-culture approach is designed to avoid both problems by allowing easier virus recovery and purification, which the company says leaves fewer host-protein and DNA impurities in the finished product.

The deal comes as the region VaxThera and Codagenix are targeting faces a worsening outbreak. The region logged 346 confirmed cases and 143 deaths in 2025 — nearly six times the case count and close to five times the death toll reported in 2024 — followed by 34 more cases and 15 deaths in the first seven weeks of 2026. The Pan American Health Organization reported that Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Venezuela all had sustained yellow fever transmission as of March 2026. Colombia alone recorded 125 cases and 46 deaths in 2025, according to PAHO, which has urged countries to keep strategic vaccine stockpiles on hand and to maintain vaccination coverage of at least 95% among exposed populations, noting that most confirmed cases in 2025 and the first weeks of 2026 were in people who had not been vaccinated. The World Health Organization’s Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics strategy, running from 2017 through 2026, has pushed for the same kind of expanded, more affordable vaccine access the companies say their agreement is meant to support.

“Yellow fever is part of the history of Latin America, but we should not let vaccine shortages define its future,” said Jorge Osorio, chief executive officer of VaxThera. “This is what we set out to do when we built VaxThera: put our science and advanced manufacturing to work in Colombia on challenges that go well beyond our borders.”

“Yellow fever is part of the history of Latin America, but we should not let vaccine shortages define its future.”

— Jorge Osorio, CEO, VaxThera (above photo)

VaxThera was founded in 2021 with Grupo SURA’s backing and has since built what the company describes as an integrated research, process-development, quality-control and manufacturing operation in Rionegro, near Medellín’s international airport. The project has required roughly $100 million USD in investment, funded primarily by Grupo SURA rather than the Colombian government, Osorio told Finance Colombia last year. Osorio, a Colombia-born professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison‘s School of Veterinary Medicine, previously co-founded Inviragen, a dengue vaccine developer that Takeda Pharmaceutical (TSE: 4502; NYSE: TAK) acquired for up to $250 million USD in 2013. VaxThera says its Rionegro facility, built to international GMP standards, now has the potential to produce more than 150 million doses of biologics annually, positioning the company, and Colombia, as a regional manufacturing base for vaccines that have historically been made in only a handful of countries.

Codagenix was spun out of research at Stony Brook University, in the laboratory of National Academy of Sciences member Eckard Wimmer, and counts Adjuvant Capital, TopSpin Partners and Euclidean Capital among its investors. Its platform is built on codon deoptimization, a technique for redesigning a virus’s genetic code so that it still triggers an immune response while losing its ability to cause disease. Syn17D-YF is one of several live-attenuated and synthetic-biology vaccine and viral-therapeutic candidates in the company’s pipeline, which also includes ongoing research and licensing programs with several US federal agencies.

“Syn17D-YF modernizes the manufacturing of a proven and needed vaccine, and VaxThera provides the vision, capabilities and regional position required to advance it toward global impact,” said Jeffrey Fu, Codagenix’s chief business officer.

VaxThera and Codagenix said they intend to keep working together toward the broader goal of strengthening yellow fever vaccine supply chains in both endemic and non-endemic regions. Neither company disclosed the financial terms of the license or a timeline for when Syn17D-YF might reach preclinical or clinical trials in Colombia.

Above: Vaxthera CEO Jorge Osorio (photo: Liliana padierna)

Medellín authorities seized 2,794 kilograms of beef and pork considered unfit for human consumption during a July 23 operation in the Prado neighborhood, where four people were arrested in flagrante as authorities investigated an alleged clandestine meat-processing operation.

The operation was carried out jointly by the Alcaldía de Medellín, the Policía Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá, the Fiscalía General de la Nación and INVIMA. Authorities conducted two search-and-seizure procedures at the property, which investigators said was being used for the unauthorized slaughter and processing of pork and beef.

According to information released following the operation, the meat had an estimated commercial value of more than more than $108 million COP. Authorities said the property did not have the required authorization to operate and that the meat was being handled and stored under conditions that did not comply with Colombia’s applicable sanitary requirements. Technical inspections determined that the seized products were not suitable for human consumption.

The investigation also raised concerns about where the meat was being sold. Authorities said the products were allegedly being commercialized in the Plaza Botero area and surrounding parts of central Medellín, one of the city’s busiest areas for pedestrians, visitors and informal and formal commerce.

The four people captured during the operation were placed at the disposal of the Fiscalía General de la Nación and face investigation for the Colombian criminal offense of corruption involving food, medical products or prophylactic materials. Their capture and the seizure of the meat do not, by themselves, establish a final judicial finding of guilt.

The case highlights the public-health risks associated with unauthorized meat processing, particularly where products enter commercial channels without the traceability, sanitary controls and operating permits required by Colombian regulations.

The operation also forms part of a broader pattern of enforcement against illicit or non-compliant meat activity in Antioquia. In May, the Policía Nacional reported the seizure of approximately 9,000 kilograms of meat products and the capture of one person in Donmatías, where authorities were investigating alleged violations involving food products and illegal animal slaughter. That case was separate from the Medellín investigation.

As of August, no additional publicly reported development that materially changes the July 23 account could be independently verified in the sources reviewed for this article. The four July detainees are still being placed at the disposal of the Fiscalía while the investigation proceeds.

For consumers, the operation underscores the importance of traceability and sanitary controls in the meat supply chain. For authorities, the investigation will need to establish the full scope of the alleged operation, including how the meat was processed, stored and distributed and whether additional individuals or businesses were involved.

Headline photo: Some of the meat seized by the Medellin authorities. (Photo provided by Medellín’s mayor’s office)

Colombian scientist Laura González García has been selected for the 2026 class of the Pew Latin American Fellows Program in the Biomedical Sciences, a competitive postdoctoral fellowship supporting early-career researchers from Latin America.

González García is one of ten scientists selected for this year’s cohort and one of two fellows representing Colombia. The program, established by The Pew Charitable Trusts, provides two years of research funding for fellows to conduct research in United States laboratories under the mentorship of established scientists.

“If we know which RNAs have DHU and can associate that modification with a particular context, like cancer or crop performance, we can use them as potential biomarkers.”
— Laura González García, 2026 Pew Latin American Fellow, Boyce Thompson Institute

The 2026 fellows represent seven Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay. According to Pew, the program has supported more than three decades of biomedical research development, with nearly 70% of previous fellows going on to establish laboratories or research programs in Latin America.

“For 35 years, Pew has proudly supported talented scientists from Latin America as they pursue cutting-edge research in US labs,” said Donna Frisby-Greenwood, Pew’s senior vice president for Philadelphia and scientific advancement. “This year, we’re excited to support 10 new fellows whose research will accelerate global health and carry on this legacy of impactful biomedical research.”

González García is a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Andrew D. L. Nelson at the Boyce Thompson Institute, an independent research institute located on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, New York.

Her Pew-funded project focuses on epitranscriptomics, an emerging field that studies chemical modifications added to RNA molecules after transcription. These modifications can influence how RNA functions without changing the underlying DNA sequence.

The research centers on dihydrouridine (DHU), a relatively understudied RNA modification, and the enzymes responsible for creating it, known as dihydrouridine synthases (DUS proteins). While these molecules are conserved across plants, animals, and humans, scientists still have limited understanding of their broader biological roles.

In humans, changes in DUS activity have been associated with certain cancers, while in plants, the modification has been linked to stress responses and photosynthetic performance.

A major challenge in studying DHU has been the difficulty of identifying where the modification appears within RNA. González García plans to address this using Nanopore sequencing, a technology that can detect molecular changes by measuring electrical signals as RNA passes through microscopic pores.

Her project will combine experimental data with machine learning to develop a model capable of identifying DHU modifications across RNA sequences. Although the initial research is being conducted using the plant Arabidopsis thaliana, González García said the approach could eventually be adapted to other organisms, including humans.

The fellowship builds on González García’s background in computational biology and genomics. She earned dual doctorates in computer engineering and evolutionary biology from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá and Université de Montpellier in France.

Her previous research has focused on comparative and computational genomics, including studies of Leishmania parasite genomes, genome-analysis software development through NGSEP, methods for annotating transposable elements, and research into transposable-element dynamics in lima bean.

The Pew fellowship represents a transition from her previous DNA-focused research toward RNA biology, with applications that could contribute to future advances in medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology.

Following her postdoctoral training, González García plans to establish her own laboratory at a Latin American research institution, aligning with Pew’s objective of strengthening scientific capacity across the region.

Clínica de Especialidades Oftalmológicas (CEO), a Medellín-based ophthalmology provider, has become the first healthcare organization in the world to receive accreditation under Global Healthcare Accreditation’s (GHA) Standards for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations 1.0 and the first institution to complete GHA’s Integrated Accreditation Program for Medical Travel.

“CEO has shown that medical travel, when aligned with clinical quality and patient-centered care, can directly support better outcomes and a stronger healthcare experience for both local and international patients.” – Renée-Marie Stephano, Chief Executive Officer, Global Healthcare Accreditation

The recognition covers CEO’s facilities in Medellín, Envigado, and Rionegro, following an integrated evaluation process that assessed both healthcare quality standards and the organization’s ability to manage the complete journey of international patients.

GHA’s Integrated Accreditation Program combines clinical quality, patient safety, operational performance, and medical travel services into a single framework. The model is designed to help healthcare organizations align domestic and international patient care while creating consistent processes across areas such as coordination, communication, risk management, and follow-up.

“This international recognition confirms that it is possible to achieve world-class standards in patient safety, clinical quality, and patient experience in Colombia,” said José Francisco Bernal Márquez, General Manager of Clínica de Oftalmología CEO.

Bernal Márquez said the accreditation followed a year-and-a-half process that included training, gap assessments, and preparation work aimed at strengthening quality systems and improving services for both Colombian and international patients.

The accreditation evaluates healthcare organizations across areas including governance, infection prevention and control, medication management, workforce competency, risk management, continuity of care, and continuous improvement. The standards have also received validation from the International Society for Quality in Health Care External Evaluation Association (ISQua EEA).

The medical travel component examines the complete international patient experience, from initial inquiries and pre-arrival coordination to treatment, discharge planning, follow-up care, cultural considerations, financial transparency, and long-term sustainability.

“CEO’s achievement demonstrates how a serious medical travel program can strengthen an organization far beyond international patient growth alone,” said Stephano. “When patient experience, safety, quality, and operational systems are improved across every touchpoint, the benefits extend to all patients.”

According to Claudia Jorgenson, Director of Clinical Operations at Global Healthcare Accreditation, CEO stood out for its commitment to continuous improvement and its willingness to strengthen systems beyond accreditation requirements.

“The Integrated Accreditation process is rigorous because it looks at the organization from multiple perspectives, including clinical quality, patient safety, governance, risk management, care coordination, and the full patient experience,” Jorgenson said.

Founded 18 years ago, Clínica de Especialidades Oftalmológicas has grown into one of Colombia’s leading ophthalmology providers. The organization works with 57 ophthalmologists and performs approximately 1,000 surgical procedures each month.

CEO has completed more than 150,000 ophthalmic surgeries throughout its history. During the evaluation process, GHA highlighted the organization’s quality culture and patient-focused approach, while CEO reported eight years without institutional surgical infections, a 0.8% reoperation rate, zero complex adverse events, and a 0.3% minor adverse event rate.

The accreditation positions CEO as an example of how Colombian healthcare providers are increasingly integrating international standards into specialized medical services and medical tourism offerings.

More information about CEO is available at ceomedellin.com.

The Colombian immigration system is no longer the highly permissive environment it once was; it has fundamentally shifted toward a structure built on strict legal compliance. In 2026, navigating the visa application process requires far more than just proving financial solvency or investment intent. Resolution 5477 of 2022 was designed to safeguard the country’s interests, particularly by protecting the public medical infrastructure and ensuring that foreigners do not place a heavy burden on the national healthcare system.

Consequently, securing a compliant health policy for visas—a primary requirement for Visitor and Migrant types—has evolved from a standard administrative formality into a non-negotiable, heavily scrutinized legal mandate that directly impacts visa approvals. Article 30 of Resolution 5477 explicitly states that health coverage must be private and protect the holder within the national territory against all risks, including accidents, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death, or repatriation. Furthermore, the policy must remain valid for the expected duration of the foreigner’s stay in Colombia.

However, despite the clarity of this requirement across all relevant visa categories, applicants frequently bypass it by submitting local resources—such as EPS, Medicina Prepagada, and other monthly health services—as proof of coverage, even when they don’t meet the specific items their health policies must have.

This reality has been ongoing since the entry into force of Resolution 5477, which is the main reason why visa rejections have been increasing since last year. Visa experts of expatgroup.co say that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ analysts have restricted their visa studies by ensuring every applicant fulfills the requirements of the law. If they dismiss at least one of the coverages, submit a monthly health policy, or even only 1-year of coverage, for visas that allow up to 3 years of validity, their visa applications could be unadmitted, approved for 365 days or less, or even required for more years of coverage.

Jaime Aristizábal, an immigration expert and CEO of expatgroup.co, has shared his more than 10 years of knowledge to clarify the complexities of the health policy for visas—outlining exactly what it must include and highlighting the most common compliance mistakes expats make in their applications.

The non-negotiable must-haves of a health policy for visas in Colombia

One of the most frequent reasons for application delays or outright denials is a fundamental misunderstanding of what constitutes valid coverage. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not merely verify the existence of a health policy certificate; analysts also conduct a granular review to ensure that specific legal clauses are explicitly stated in the policy documentation.

Aristizábal emphasizes that applicants must meticulously verify that their chosen provider addresses these exact requirements, as partial coverage will not satisfy the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ criteria. Missing even a single mandatory element can compromise the entire visa application, leading to unnecessary administrative hurdles.

About the Visitors and Migrant Visas that Require a Compliant Health Policy

For all Visitor Type visas, presenting a fully compliant health policy is an absolute, non-negotiable requirement. This mandate covers a wide spectrum of temporary stays, meaning that expatriates must secure private coverage regardless of whether they are applying for a Digital Nomad visa, a Student visa, a Tourist visa, a Market Research Visa, a Medical Treatment Visa, or another category. It is important to highlight that the period of validity must match the expected stay of the chosen visa (Digital Nomad Visa, with a 2-year health policy).

An extended time of coverage will be required to match the maximum validity of the visa.

On the other hand, given the long-term nature of Migrant Type visas, Colombian authorities place extra scrutiny on the submitted health documentation. A private health policy is strictly required as part of the application for several key Migrant categories, including the Retirement visa, Real Estate Investment visa, and Freelancer visa.

The Challenge of Securing a Health Policy for Visas with Full Coverage and 1-to-3 Year Validity

Besides the strict legal rules of Resolution 5477, the duration of the coverage is a major challenge in the global market. When searching for a compliant health policy for visas, expats often find that traditional travel assistance companies have strict limits. Usually, these providers only offer coverage for up to 1 year. Also, they frequently lack the mandatory repatriation or all-risk clauses required by Colombian law.

This one-year limit is a problem for long-term migrants. For example, Retirees, Real Estate Investors, or Digital Nomads can often get up to 2 or 3 years’ visas. However, if they submit a policy valid for only 365 days, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will often limit the visa approval to match the policy’s coverage period, forcing visa holders to renew every year.

To solve this issue, expats need specialized immigration-focused solutions rather than generic tourist health assistance. Aristizábal and the expatgroup.co visa experts recommend the EG Assist health policies, one of the few providers that can offer a compliant health policy for visas with continuous validity for up to 2 or 3 years. By securing multi-year coverage with all mandatory clauses, applicants can align their health policy with the maximum term of their desired visa.

For expats, investors, and digital nomads seeking a fully compliant health policy tailored to their visa category, expert support is invaluable. To explore multi-year options or receive personalized guidance for your health policy, you can reach out to the EG Assist team through the following channels:

• Website: https://egassist.com/

• Phone: +19256054656

• WhatsApp: +19256054656

• Email: quotes@egassist.com

• Google My Business: EG Assist – Visa Health Plans Colombia

The registration, issued under INVIMA Registration No. 2026RD-0009793, authorizes the importation and sale of the assay in Colombia.

Alongside the approval, IntelliGenome named Velez Lab S.A.S. as its exclusive distribution partner in Colombia under a long-term commercial agreement to expand access to the test across the country.

“We believe CRISPR-TB’s blood-based approach has the potential to expand access to tuberculosis testing, particularly for patients who are difficult to diagnose using conventional methods.” — Kurt Wehrle, vice president of partnerships and strategic alliances, IntelliGenome

The CRISPR-TB Blood Test is a blood-based molecular diagnostic designed to detect cell-free DNA from the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in patients with suspected tuberculosis. It uses CRISPR technology to support detection from blood samples through both laboratory-based and point-of-care testing, which the company says can serve centralized and decentralized healthcare settings.

Colombia is among the higher-priority tuberculosis markets in Latin America, with continuing demand for diagnostic approaches that complement existing testing strategies and support earlier diagnosis.

“Tuberculosis remains a significant public health challenge in Colombia, and innovative diagnostic approaches are needed to support earlier detection,” said Kurt Wehrle, vice president of partnerships and strategic alliances at IntelliGenome. “We believe CRISPR-TB’s blood-based approach has the potential to expand access to tuberculosis testing, particularly for patients who are difficult to diagnose using conventional methods.”

Velez Lab S.A.S. is a leading Colombian provider of laboratory technologies, medical devices, and in vitro diagnostic solutions serving clinical laboratories, hospitals, healthcare institutions, and research organizations throughout Colombia.

“We are excited to partner with IntelliGenome to bring the CRISPR-TB Blood Test to Colombia,” said Álvaro Vélez, chief executive officer of Velez Lab. “We believe this innovative technology has the potential to enhance tuberculosis detection and provide clinicians with an important new diagnostic option.”

The companies said they plan to work with healthcare institutions, researchers, and public health stakeholders to generate clinical evidence in pediatric tuberculosis, extrapulmonary tuberculosis, and other high-priority populations, with the aim of supporting future integration into tuberculosis screening, diagnosis, and patient management.

IntelliGenome is a molecular diagnostics company focused on CRISPR-based diagnostic technologies. Its CRISPR-TB platform is being evaluated through collaborations with clinical, academic, and public health partners, and the company is developing both laboratory-based and near-patient testing.

Velez Lab S.A.S. is a Colombian provider of laboratory technologies, medical devices, and in vitro diagnostic products serving clinical laboratories, hospitals, healthcare institutions, and research organizations. The company has operated for more than four decades.

There is a lot of confusion right now regarding travel to and from Colombia during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Even the government seems confused about whether travelers must arrive with a recent negative coronavirus test, but what is important for the international traveler is to be prepared for any health contingencies during their travels, whether coronavirus-related or otherwise.

Finance Colombia spoke with colleagues at expatgroup.co to clarify the options available to travelers and visitors in order to protect their health and ensure proper coverage. Now more than ever, it is critically important to be properly protected in the case of illness or injury. Here is how travelers can take an essential fundamental first step towards a prudent visit.

The Colombian government has reopened the country for tourism. Still, passengers are concerned. What would you recommend for visitors or those seeking to live in Colombia for a time?

For all those foreigners who wish to come to Colombia either for a temporary or permanent stay, even if a negative COVID test is not required at this time, the recommendation is that they acquire a health policy with international coverage, which is valid in Colombia and also allows them to obtain health care in case of COVID-19.

But acquiring a travel health policy is not only recommended for those who enter Colombia for tourism. For foreigners who intend to apply for a visa and carry out activities other than tourism, having a health policy has become a priority.

Through Resolution 5477 of 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has eliminated many of the gray areas that previously allowed certain policies to be used. Today, the law requires specific details, such as whether the travel health policy covers elements like funeral repatriation or certain pre-existing illnesses.

These elements are not included in many traditional travel health policies. This is why, at Expatgroup.co, we recommend EG Assist: a health policy designed to meet the regulations required for those seeking a visa for Colombia.

What travel health policies are available for foreigners visiting Colombia? Are there different options?

Of course. The most important thing is to understand that each foreigner who applies for a health policy for a visa has different needs:

Visa Category:

EG Assist, for example, offers different types of plans that adjust to applicants’ profiles: they cover digital nomads, retirees, investor, residents, and many more. Each one adapted to the visa’s requirements.

The available budget:

Depending on the profile, some people are willing to make a higher investment in their security policies. With EG Visa Protect Pro, a person can increase the maximum amount that the policy covers for accidents or pre-existing illnesses. It even adds protection for missing luggage, something that not many health policies offer.

Period of Coverage:

One of the main reasons the vast majority of travel health policies are not optimal for visa applications is the duration. According to Resolution 5477, the health policy must be valid for the intended length of stay in Colombia, and in recent years, the goverment has become stricter and pursues that the health policy match the maximum granted time for a visa.

And since most visas have a maximum granted time of three years, this means that most health policies that work on a yearly basis are not optimal for a visa application. Instead, a foreigner should look for options like EG Assist that offer flexible, long-term terms, available for up to 3 consecutive years.

Overall, a foreign student should not only look for a health policy that complies with the law but also one that adapts to their needs. With EG Assist, you can compare plans to choose the one that best suits you.

What requirements do travelers need to purchase a travel health policy for their stay? (Documents, etc.)

Any traveler who wishes to purchase an international health policy can easily do so by providing the following information:

– Copy of the main page of the passport.

– Date of departure to Colombia and date of birth.

– Personal and emergency contact information.

Buying a policy in the country is really not a complex procedure. In fact, with EG Assist, a person only needs to scan their passport, and their system will recognize key data, such as the document number, name, and nationality.

Please keep in mind that the travel health policy is designed for people applying for different types of visas, such as the Nomad Visa or the Retirement Visa. For this reason, unlike other options, age is not a factor in determining the cost; it is determined by the length of coverage and additional benefits.

Traveling to Colombia requires travel health policies that can work for you and for your companions’ conditions. Photo by [Add author name here].

Does having a travel health policy influence the level of care that is available?

When a foreign tourist in Colombia has an emergency or urgent need during their stay, it is much easier to receive timely medical attention if they have an active travel health policy. When a foreigner does not have medical coverage for Colombia, he or she will receive care if his or her physical integrity is at risk because the right to life prevails; however, care times may be slower, and the standards of care received may not be the highest.

People who purchase a travel health policy in Colombia often hear terms like EPS, ARL, etc. Are these relevant to the expat or visitor? What do they mean?

They are important, mainly because many people confuse these terms with alternatives that they can use to apply for a health policy to obtain a visa in Colombia.

The terms EPS (Empresa Prestadora de Salud) and ARL (Sistema General de Riesgos Laborales) apply only to Colombians and foreigners holding a Colombian visa and a foreign identity card. In fact, we have an article that talks about how foreigners residing in Colombia should contribute to the EPS. You can read more here.

But to sum up this glossary of terms within the health system: EPS are the companies that affiliate and coordinate health provision services in Colombia. On the other hand, ARLs are the companies that insure employers and are responsible for covering work-related risks and accidents. You may also hear terms such as IPS (Instituciones Prestadoras de Servicios de Salud), which are the hospitals or laboratories that directly serve people, under the authorization, direction, or company of an EPS. To be more specific, an EPS is a public health policy, distinct from a private travel health policy.

Precisely because of the number of words and terms, there is usually a lot of confusion when presenting the health criteria for a visa in Colombia. But an EPS does not include some of the stipulations in resolution 5477 of 2022, such as funeral repatriation, coverage for previous illnesses, and perhaps the most important: a guarantee of health coverage for the time you want to stay in the country. For this reason, a travel health policy is always recommended.

What is the best way for foreigners to purchase a health policy for their visit or stay?

The first step is to make an informed decision about the type of health policy you will purchase. As we mentioned before, each visitor’s characteristics will greatly affect the type of coverage you should request. Are there pre-existing illnesses? Is it a health policy to apply for some type of visa? How long should the coverage be?

The best way is to do it online before arriving in Colombia, so that, from the moment they arrive in the country, they will be covered. Through expatgroup’s partner, EG Assist, foreigners can request information from their team of experts and even complete the registration and payment process directly on their site.

In fact, the travel health policy offered by EG Assist is designed to cover all eventualities a foreigner may face before and during their stay in Colombia: medical emergencies resulting from accidents or pre-existing illnesses, as well as the possibility of repatriating the body.

Not only that, but with expatgroup.co, foreigners can receive comprehensive advice, not just on health coverage. If one of your reasons for coming to the country is to apply for a Colombian visa, in addition to recommending the best health policy, we can guide you through the process with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This support aims to save time and money for foreigners interested in living in Colombia.

You can contact us before you plan your trip to Colombia for comprehensive advice.

Website: expatgroup.co

WhatsApp/Telephone: +19547993692

E-mail: sales@expatgroup.co

Dirección: Av. El Poblado ##1 Sur-188 Torre Empresarial Davivienda, Oficina 508, Medellín, Antioquia

The liquor company owned by Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella continues to lose money and has shut down its operation in the United States, according to an investigation by La Silla Vacía based on the company’s most recently published financial statements.

Dominio De la Espriella, the firm that produces and markets the candidate’s spirits brands, reported a net loss of $503 million COP (about $124,000 USD) for the year ended December 31, 2025, according to its published financial statements. With that result, the company has accumulated losses of roughly $3.88 billion COP (about $960,000 USD) since it was founded in late 2020, the same statements show. (USD figures throughout are approximate, converted at the 2025 average of about 4,050 COP per USD.)

Dominio De la Espriella produces Ron Defensor 12-year and 18-year rum and Vino Fratellone wine. Before De la Espriella’s entry into politics, it had become his most visible business project outside his law firm, La Silla Vacía reported. A bottle of the rum sells for between $265,000 and $351,000 COP and the Fratellone wine for $189,000 COP, according to prices listed by De la Espriella Style, the candidate’s merchandising company, as cited by La Silla Vacía.

The brand was formally launched in 2022 alongside vallenato singer Silvestre Dangond, who holds an 8% stake through the company Music Dreams, according to La Silla Vacía.

The US push was the company’s most ambitious bet. When Dominio De la Espriella launched, it set a target of more than $4 million USD in US sales, the outlet reported. According to the financial statements published for 2023 and 2024, the company recorded only $1,199 million COP in international sales — about $272,000 USD, or 7% of the target, La Silla Vacía reported. The 2025 statements report that “se cerró la operación” (“the operation was closed”) in that market.

The US chapter was brief. The financial statements show that in 2023, when the company entered the country, it received an injection of $1 million USD (then $4,332 million COP) from US investors, identified in the accounts only as “Dominio Estados Unidos,” money meant to fund production of 33,000 bottles, according to La Silla Vacía. A year later, the company reported that the deal had fallen through and that it now owed the $1 million back. La Silla Vacía reported that the recorded obligation fell from $1,891 million COP in 2023 to $799 million COP in 2024; the 2025 statements list a remaining “obligation for rescission of the US operation contract” of $722 million COP (about $178,000 USD).

With the US exit, revenue dropped sharply. La Silla Vacía reported a roughly 60% fall in operating income; the company’s statements show net operating revenue declining from $1,637 million COP in 2024 to $687 million COP in 2025. The 2025 statements report just $7 million COP (about $1,800 USD) in cash at banks, with the company’s resources concentrated in rum and wine inventory valued at $1,397 million COP and $1,403 million COP in receivables.

“Se cerró la operación” — “the operation was closed,” reads Dominio De la Espriella’s 2025 financial statement, describing the company’s exit from the US market (as reported by La Silla Vacía).

The statements also show how the business has been funded. Thirteen of the company’s 15 shareholders have contributed an additional $4,829 million COP (about $1.2 million USD) on top of the $500 million COP in founding capital to increase their stakes, but the shares have not been issued and the money remains recorded as a liability, according to La Silla Vacía. The candidate himself has been financing the operation, lending the company $1,695 million COP (about $420,000 USD) through 2025, the outlet reported.

A separate La Silla Vacía investigation into De la Espriella’s business holdings reported that 14 other companies hold stakes in the venture. According to that reporting, the 50% owner is Somos Inversiones, a Panama-based company whose papers list figureheads, and the structure also includes companies tied to relatives of Hugues Rodríguez — convicted for promoting paramilitary groups — and to oil businessman Serafino Iácono.

The US retail presence has also wound down. Liquor Dreams, the Instagram account that presented itself as Ron Defensor’s official ambassador in the United States, stopped posting about the brand, and a new management has been announced for the store in the Coral Gables area of Florida, La Silla Vacía reported. The venue had served as a place for De la Espriella to host Colombian politicians, among them former president Álvaro Uribe, according to the outlet.

The US departure follows the closure of De la Espriella’s Místico restaurant, also in Coral Gables, where he had likewise promoted his liquor brand. La Silla Vacía said it confirmed that Místico closed months ago and that a different restaurant now operates in its former location. Among Místico’s partners, the outlet reported, were Dangond and Héctor Amaris, known as “Oso Yogui.”

The reporting lands as De la Espriella heads into the June 21, 2026 presidential runoff against leftist senator Iván Cepeda. De la Espriella, an attorney campaigning on a hardline security platform, led the May 31 first round with 43.7% of the vote to Cepeda’s 40.9%, according to results reported by CNN and other international outlets.

Colombia’s grocery bills changed little in June, according to the latest Grupo Cibest (NYSE: CIB; BVC: CIBEST) Food Prices Monitor, prepared by the economic research team at Bancolombia. The report estimates that total food inflation came in at -0.02% month-over-month for June 2026, a figure consistent with an annual food inflation rate of 6.12%.

“We estimate that total food inflation will come in at -0.02% month-over-month in June 2026. On an annual basis, this is consistent with food inflation of 6.12%.” — Bancolombia economic research team, Food Prices Monitor, June 2026

The monitor tracks short-term movements in staple commodities that carry a high weight in the food component of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). It combines purchasing activity captured in neighborhood stores and small grocery outlets by Servinformacion with wholesale price data from Colombia’s main food markets, reported through the Sistema de Información de Precios y Abastecimiento del Sector Agropecuario (SIPSA, the agricultural price and supply information system) and published by the Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE, the National Administrative Department of Statistics).

Meat prices split by category

Within the protein basket, beef prices rose in June while poultry and pork fell. The largest monthly gains were in prepared meats, up 2.4%, and beef, up 0.47%. The steepest declines were in pork, down 1.46%, and poultry, down 0.74%.

Monthly price change by protein category, June 2026. Source: Grupo Cibest / Bancolombia, Food Prices Monitor.

Tubers and onions climb as plantains retreat

Fresh produce showed mixed dynamics. The largest monthly increases were in arracacha, yam and other tubers, up 19%, onions, up 12%, and potatoes, up 6.3%. Moving the other way, plantains fell 8%, blackberries dropped 3%, and vegetables and legumes eased 1.51%.

Monthly price change for selected fresh produce, June 2026. Source: Grupo Cibest / Bancolombia, Food Prices Monitor.

Seasonal correction across processed and perishable food

The report points to a moderation in price dynamics across both the processed and perishable food components. Bancolombia’s team expects processed foods to post a monthly increase of 0.15% in June, 14 basis points lower than in May, which implies an annual inflation rate of 4.62%. Perishables are projected to show a less pronounced contraction, narrowing from -0.99% in May to -0.60% in June and corresponding to a year-over-year increase of 10.9%. The research team attributes those outcomes largely to seasonal factors that continue to support a correction in prices.

Estimated annual food inflation by component, June 2026; monthly change shown inside each bar. Source: Grupo Cibest / Bancolombia, Food Prices Monitor.

Taken together, the estimates leave total food inflation essentially flat on the month at -0.02%, and at 6.12% over the past year. Bancolombia frames the June reading as evidence that the seasonal correction underway in perishable and processed food prices is holding, even as individual items such as tubers and onions continue to swing sharply from one month to the next. The food basket remains one component of the broader inflation picture Bancolombia has tracked through 2026.

Headline image description: A bar graph showing the estimated annual food inflation by component, with monthly changes shown inside each bar. Graph created by Finance Colombia.

Colombia’s Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores convened ambassadors, international organizations, agricultural producers, and strategic partners in Bogotá on May 15, 2026, to present the Ruta del Café y Cacao, a government-led strategy that uses the diplomatic network to connect Colombian specialty coffee and cacao producers directly with international buyers, importers, and distributors. The session was organized in coordination with the Departamento Nacional de Planeación (DNP), Colombia Compra Eficiente, and the Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA), with additional participation from the Agencia de Desarrollo Rural and the Unidad de Implementación del Acuerdo de Paz.

Between 2025 and 2026, the Ruta del Café y Cacao has participated in international trade fairs and multilateral venues in Asia, the Americas, and Europe, generating more than 1,200 commercial contacts and exports exceeding 100 tons. The strategy is coordinated through Colombia Nos Une, a directorate within the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores that oversees relations with Colombian communities and commercial networks abroad.

“This strategy is not limited to the promotion of a product. It is a tool of economic diplomacy, productive inclusion, rural development, and peacebuilding.” — Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy, Minister of Foreign Relations of Colombia

Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy used the event to outline the government’s rationale for embedding agricultural trade promotion into foreign policy. “From the Ministry of Foreign Relations, we want economic diplomacy to translate into concrete results for the territories,” she said. “Foreign policy must have the capacity to open opportunities, connect markets, and contribute to the productive development of our communities.” She added that the strategy extends beyond product promotion: “It is a tool of economic diplomacy, productive inclusion, rural development, and peacebuilding.”

Natalia Irene Molina Posso, director general of the Departamento Nacional de Planeación, presented the Café Social program as a related mechanism designed to strengthen small agricultural producers. The initiative links public procurement policy with territorial development and small-scale coffee farming, creating demand channels within Colombia’s public sector for domestically produced specialty coffee.

Gloria Cuartas Montoya, director of the Unidad de Implementación del Acuerdo de Paz, addressed the relationship between coffee and cacao production and post-conflict territorial transformation. “You have all the entities that have been working on the implementation of the Peace Agreement and in the new processes being carried out, so that territorial peace finds in these two [commodity] lines paths of enormous value and projection,” she said. Cuartas also referenced recent engagement in Barcelona, where business operators and organizations expressed interest in awareness-building activities around Colombian coffee and cacao, citing the social and community dimensions behind those products.

A central element of the event was the participation of producers and associations from multiple regions of Colombia, convened by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores through the Colombia Nos Une directorate. The participants included cooperatives and producer groups led by women, former combatants who signed the 2016 Peace Agreement, ethnic communities, and victims of the armed conflict. These groups presented their productive and commercial operations directly to diplomatic delegations attending the event.

The session also included a guided coffee tasting led by SENA’s Escuela Nacional del Café, during which attendees sampled specialty coffee varieties and received information on production processes and the characteristics that differentiate Colombian coffees participating in the Ruta del Café y Cacao. The tasting segment was designed to give diplomatic representatives direct exposure to the product profiles of the producers involved in the strategy.

Photo courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Relations of Colombia