Colombian President Gustavo Petro led the Colombian delegation (including 8 ministers) that traveled to China on an official visit as part of the Fourth Ministers’ Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum. The visit, aligned with Colombia’s current foreign policy and President Petro’s ambition to diversify international alliances and deepen cooperation with China, also triggered diplomatic tensions and domestic debates.

President Petro’s visit aimed to reinforce diplomatic ties, attract investment, and strengthen Colombia’s position in areas such as sustainable development, technological cooperation, and global trade. Central to this agenda was the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) regarding Colombia’s adherence to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a.k.a. the New Silk Road, which seeks to enhance global connectivity through investments in transport, energy, and telecommunications infrastructure.

While the MoU does not yet formalize Colombia’s full integration into the BRI, the move raised concerns among some domestic sectors. Through a press release, Fenalco, the national federation of merchants, pointed out that “global trade is not a zero-sum game. It’s not about substituting one market for another, nor about generating unnecessary tensions with our main allies. The United States remains our fundamental strategic partner (…). Trade and diplomatic decisions must be made with a long-term vision, defending the economic and social well-being of all Colombians.” Bruce MacMaster, President of the National Business Association of Colombia, ANDI, claimed via X: “Does Colombia want to do this now? In exchange for what? What justification is there from the perspective of our current international strategy? How does it affect our relationship with our trading partners, who buy most of our exports? I hope these factors are taken into account when discussing or considering the issue.”

The ‘strategic partner’ both organizations were referring to is Colombia’s largest business partner, the US, which also was not indifferent to the matter. “The U.S. will strongly oppose recent projects and upcoming disbursements by the Inter-American Development Bank and other IFIs for Chinese state-owned and controlled companies in Colombia (and other BRI countries in the region). These projects endanger the region’s safety and security. American tax dollars SHOULD NOT be used in any way by international organizations to subsidize Chinese companies in our hemisphere,” the Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs announced via X, shortly after the MoU was signed.

As part of the agenda in China, Colombia also submitted its application to join the New Development Bank (NDB,) an institution founded by the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) to finance infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging economies. With the application, Petro’s government committed to purchasing $512 million USD in shares of the bank. Colombia is working on this new partnership to fund large-scale infrastructure projects, including a proposed rail network connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

President Petro and his delegation held several high-profile meetings during their time in China. In Beijing, they met with executives from China Energy (SZSE:000966) and Foton (SS:600166), exploring opportunities in the energy transition and renewable energy sectors. In Shanghai, they visited the headquarters of BYD (OTCPK:BYDDF), leading global player in electric vehicles and green transportation. Discussions focused on sustainable mobility, investment possibilities in Colombia, and technology transfer.

The visit also emphasized academic and scientific diplomacy. Petro met with Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng. They discussed commercial cooperation, artificial intelligence, sustainable urban development, and education.

Through the Colombian Ministry of Education, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with three prominent Chinese universities—Beihang University, Tianjin University, and South China Agricultural University. The agreements aim to “foster academic, scientific, and cultural exchange”, according to the Colombian government press release.

Some critics argue that aligning too closely with China could jeopardize Colombia’s trade relations with the US. Moreover, skepticism remains regarding the long-term implications of joining large-scale Chinese-led initiatives, particularly given concerns around debt, transparency, and sovereignty. As Francisco Santos, Colombia’s former Vice President, told Finance Colombia, “China doesn’t give anything away: it demands political loyalty, charges high prices, and exerts unscrupulous pressure. Countries like Ecuador, Venezuela, and Sri Lanka are mired in debt impossible to be paid, blatant corruption, and loss of sovereignty. Is this the future Petro wants for Colombia? Signing a deal with China isn’t progress; it’s mortgaging the country in exchange for shady favors. This isn’t a strategic shift; it’s a leap into the void driven by the most controversial government in our recent history.”

Headline photo: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Colombian President Gustavo Petro. (Photo: Presidencia de Colombia)

During a session of the Sixth Commission of the Senate (higher chamber of the Congress), Vice Minister of Infrastructure of Colombia Liliana María Ospina, confirmed that the government currently lacks the financial resources to fund the second stage of the José María Córdova Airport expansion project in Rionegro, Antioquia. This is the second biggest airport in Colombia and serves Medellín, along with the smaller Olaya Herrera Airport.
“This phase exceeds the current administration’s budgetary planning. At present, only funds for the first stage have been allocated,” Ospina stated during the debate called by Senator Esteban Quintero, as informed by local website MiOriente.

The airport’s master plan is structured in three phases, intended to support long-term growth and modernization. According to Ospina, the master plan is already more than 90% complete, with the final components expected by August 2025.

The airport has seen a significant rise in activity, with 12.5 million passengers and 129,000 tons of cargo passing through the terminal over the past year. The proposed upgrades are intended to address this growing demand and align with operational projections through 2055.

The first stage (2025–2030), for which funds have already been allocated, will enhance the airport with fast exits on the existing runway, taxiway extensions, the expansion of runway safety zones, a remote aircraft parking platform, a reconfiguration of the cargo terminal, internal building improvements, and the expansion of the waste collection and passenger terminal areas. This phase will also include the construction of parking facilities.

However, Ospina emphasized that while the first phase is funded, the most costly component of it—the acquisition of surrounding properties—will not be supported by the current government. “We have conducted reference appraisals for the land acquisition, which exceeds $1 trillion COP ($240M USD as of the date of publication)

The second stage (2035–2041) includes the highly anticipated construction of a second runway and terminal—considered vital for future airport capacity.

The plan also includes a third stage (through 2055), with additional developments to reach full operational capacity.
The total cost of implementing the full master plan is projected at $14.4 trillion COP (more than $3 billion USD)
Senator Esteban Quintero, who convened the Senate debate, criticized the government’s inaction, saying: “No administration built the second runway—Petro’s won’t either. This government has failed the people of Eastern Antioquia.”

In the session the four-lane road expansion project connecting El Tablazo to the airport was also discussed. According to Óscar Torres, president of the National Infrastructure Agency (ANI), designs are complete, and a formal agreement is expected within six months. However, the project still awaits a budget participation from the Antioquia Governor’s Office. The new four-kilometer road would help ease traffic congestion and link with the new traffic interchange currently under construction.

Headline photo: Senator Esteban Quintero (Centro Democrático Party), who called this debate (Photo: Youtube / Comisión Sexta de Senado)

DHL Supply Chain, a logistics company and part of the DHL Group, has announced the appointment of Robinson Vasquez as General Manager of DHL Supply Chain Colombia, as well as a member of the company’s board of directors in Latin America. Vasquez moved into the role March first.

“We are very excited about the opportunities that Robinson’s leadership in Colombia represents. Their experience in Mexico provides valuable learning that will enrich our people, who are characterized by their warmth, passion, and motivation. All this is reflected in our offer of solutions and services in the country, where the standardization of our processes and strategic vision, as well as our ability to strengthen relationships with our customers, are essential at Robinson. As Colombia is one of the priority countries for DHL Supply Chain, I am sure that we will witness a great consolidation in the country,” said Agustín Croche, CEO of DHL Supply Chain in Latin America.

Previously, Robinson Vásquez led the consumer sector operations in Mexico. With a team of approximately 4,700 employees and a network of  30 locations across Colombia, Robinson will focus on consolidating operations and improving transportation, packaging, and warehousing services, said the company in a statement.

“I am very grateful for all the experiences and knowledge acquired in Mexico, without a doubt it is an honor to assume this important leadership role in my home, great projects are coming to Colombia. I am excited to work with each of the 4,700 employees to continue offering exceptional service to our customers and contribute to making Colombia’s logistics industry a benchmark,” said Vasquez.

Photo credit: DHL

The Communications Regulatory Commission (CRC) presents a new report on mobile operator changes through the portability process in Colombia, providing figures on the number and causes of rejection of porting operations carried out during the fourth quarter of 2024.

According to the analysis carried out by the commission, as part of the work to monitor the behavior of regulated services, since the Mobile Number Portability measure was implemented in the country, which allows users to change mobile operator as many times as they wish with their line number, between August 2011 and December 31, 2024, approximately 57 million porting operations have been carried out.

During 2024, users requested a total of 7.08 million mobile operator changes, 15.5% less than in 2023, of which 1.77 million corresponded to porting operations carried out during the fourth quarter of this year (0.3% more than what was recorded in the third quarter).

In the last quarter of 2024, for portability, some operators gained more users than they lost, while others had a balance against. This was the behavior:

Operators with the most users gained:

• Claro: +93.528
• Movistar: +67.738

Operators that lost more users than they received:

• Tigo: -90.175
• WOM: -64.746

In the fourth quarter of 2024, 261,700 port requests were rejected, a decrease of 6.3% compared to the previous quarter. Claro had the highest number of rejected operations, with 87,200, followed by Tigo with 83,600, WOM with 43,700, and Movistar with 36,300.
The main reason postings were rejected is that the applicant was not the contract subscriber nor authorized to carry out the porting process (95.1%).

“The figures presented reflect that number portability continues to be a fundamental tool to promote competition in the Colombian mobile market, by empowering users to freely choose the operator that best suits their needs. The decrease in rejections and the stability in the volume of portings show advances in the efficiency of the process, which will be consolidated with the measures adopted in Resolution 7684 of 2025, which updates the causes of rejection and eliminates barriers for prepaid users, by allowing the change of operator even when the line is registered in the name of a distributor. Transferring to the receiving operator the responsibility of updating the ownership. In addition, it reinforces security by requiring data verification before activating new lines. From the CRC, we will continue working to make this process increasingly agile, transparent, and secure,” said Claudia Ximena Bustamante, Commissioner and Executive Director of the CRC.

Photo credit: Tigo Official Facebook page.

After five years, Medellín is preparing to once again become the epicenter of a global innovation and leadership event with the WOBI on AI & Business Transformation, held on June 11 and 12 at Plaza Mayor. This will be a city event that complements the Mayor’s Office‘s offering to attract knowledge and tourists. 800 people are expected to attend, including CEOs, C-level executives, area directors, and managers.

The event aims to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) transforms organizations and, based on this, define the keys that will enable them to adopt successful leadership in this new digital era.

Those interested in attending can find details here.

“We are very pleased to announce from the Mayor’s Office of Medellín that WOBI is returning to the city, this time with a very important theme: artificial intelligence, a joint effort to bring topics that align with our vocation of Science, Technology, and Innovation. This is the opportunity to strengthen the knowledge of our business leaders and entrepreneurs, so that together we can continue transforming and consolidating our city and companies, generating valuable jobs, and, above all, understanding what it means to lead new technologies brought by the fourth industrial revolution,” said the Secretary of Economic Development, María Fernanda Galeano Rojo.

800 people are expected, including CEOs, C-level executives, area directors, and managers. Photo credit: WOBI.

Participants will learn strategies to integrate AI into organizational culture, customer experience, and foster brand loyalty; the role of leadership in the digital age; and how to prepare employees for new responsibilities with practical cases that demonstrate how this tool drives decisions and creates business opportunities. Some guests include Zack Kass, former director of Go-To-Market at OpenAI; Randi Zuckerberg, former director of marketing at Facebook and founder of Zuckerberg Media; Mitchell Weiss, professor at Harvard Business School and expert in innovation and generative AI; Jesús Cochegrús, entrepreneur and technology expert who has worked in the video game industry and developed projects for companies such as Nike and Coca-Cola.

“It is a true pleasure for me to announce that WOBI is returning to Medellín after five years. This time we are bringing an event called AI & Business Transformation, which, as its name suggests, couldn’t be more relevant at this time. We intend to show business leaders how artificial intelligence is changing and transforming the way we lead, develop strategies, connect with our clients, and manage and lead companies,” said WOBI Colombia’s Executive Director, Martha Lucía Maldonado.

One of the district’s goals is to continue positioning Medellín as a destination for events and business. For this reason, we support these events, in which people from all over the world participate, helping to position the city as a benchmark for business tourism and meetings.

Also See: WOBI Interview – Management Guru Ram Charan On How Colombia Can Go From A Resource To A Knowledge-Based Economy

Also See: WOBI Interview – Medellín Has Tech Talent – Colombia Now Needs a Support System for Startups to Scale

Photo credit: WOBI.

Arajet CEO and founder, Victor Pacheco Mendez (Photo: Arajet)

Dominican airline Arajet announced the launch of its new route to the United States, this time in the city of Chicago, to which travelers can connect from Punta Cana International Airport.

Starting November 15, Arajet will begin operations on the Punta Cana-O’Hare route, with flights three days a week. Sales of flights from Chicago and Punta Cana will be available and can be purchased from $117 USD per leg, according to the company.

Arajet began operating flights to the United States, with Chicago being the fifth city to which it will fly from the Dominican Republic, after Boston, Miami, New York, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The company is financially backed by Bain Capital and Griffin Global Asset Management.

The airline’s expansion into the United States follows the entry into force in December of the bilateral Open Skies agreement between the Dominican Republic and the United States, which eliminates certain restrictions on flights between the two countries.

“Our continued growth allows for greater connectivity for both tourists and the Dominican diaspora, while boosting tourism and economic opportunities throughout the region,” said Víctor Pacheco, CEO of Arajet.

From Punta Cana, travelers can connect to other destinations in the Caribbean and Latin America, Arajet added.

Headline rendered image credit: Arajet.

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, based on the results of a technical investigation and the unanimous recommendation of the Committee on Trade Practices, imposed definitive anti-dumping duties on the import of photocopy paper from Brazil. The measure, which will be in force for a period of 5 years, consists of imports of the aforementioned product having to pay anti-dumping duties in the form of an ad valorem levy of 21.78%, 22.62% and 30.30%.

The first tax will be applied to the product from the company Suzano S.A., the second to the one that arrives from the firms Sylvamo Do Brasil and Sylvamo Expot Ltda., and the third for the other Brazilian companies that sell the aforementioned paper to Colombia.

The decision to impose these anti-dumping duties was based on a technical investigation in which it was found that during the second half of 2023 and the first half of 2024, there was a significant increase in imports of the product from Brazil at dumped prices.

In addition, it was possible to demonstrate that this unfair practice caused significant damage to domestic producers, which mainly materialized in a significant impact on their economic and financial indicators. For example, in the period of analysis, production destined for the domestic market fell 18.03%, the price of the national producer requesting the measure fell to levels that compromised the stability of its operation and profit at levels close to 122%, among other indicators.

All these circumstances led the Committee on Trade Practices to unanimously make a positive recommendation, and the national government to adopt the trade defense measure.

Photo of HP branded copy paper from Brazil sold in Colombia credit: Loren Moss

Chazey Partners, a company in operations transformation, has announced the launch of FlexBPO — a service delivery solution designed to provide organizations with flexibility, agility, and transformational capability in delivering key support functions in finance, human resources, procurement, and IT.

FlexBPO is a solution purpose-built for today’s dynamic business environment, delivering greater transparency and flexibility than traditional business process outsourcing models. It features a customizable nearshore collaborative model that integrates seamlessly with both onshore captive client operations and offshore outsourcing locations. This location-agnostic approach empowers enterprises to align delivery capabilities, whether nearshore, offshore, or onshore, aligned to their strategic goals and evolving business needs.

“FlexBPO doesn’t replace traditional BPO — it enhances and complements it.” — Shaji Farooq, CEO, Chazey Partners

The attributes of FlexBPO that make this possible are:

•  A nearshore location aligned with US time zones.
• Collaborative decision-making and shared control.
• Flexibility through client-specific customization.
• A Strong focus on transformation.
• An end-to-end, process-oriented approach rather than a task-based one.
• Seamless integration as an extension of the client’s operations.

“FlexBPO doesn’t replace traditional BPO—it enhances and complements it,” said Shaji Farooq, CEO of Chazey Partners.

“Our clients seek more agile, transformative approaches to outsourcing, and FlexBPO delivers exactly that by embedding transformation from day one, tailored specifically to each organization’s unique requirements. While traditional BPO works well with ~80% of the processes, it struggles with a subset of more complex, time-sensitive processes where the cost of failure is high (both financially and reputationally) – It is these gaps that FlexBPO addresses,” Shaji added.

“The root cause of problems associated with executing more challenging processes lies in delivery from far-shore locations (with their associated large differences in time zones). Since work has to be executed during US working hours, offshore teams, by definition, must operate during local night-shift hours – there is no real fix to this. This, in turn, poses ongoing challenges related to the low availability of high-quality talent willing to work night shifts, leading to high attrition rates, constant knowledge erosion, and the associated need for retraining. When it comes to simpler, task-oriented processes, the industry has managed to meet or exceed service levels despite these challenges, but not so when it comes to the ~20% of the more challenging processes,” adds Shaji.

Central to FlexBPO’s approach is its practitioner-led model that moves beyond standardized lift-and-shift operations. Chazey’s experts collaborate closely with clients to create tailored solutions that evolve alongside their business objectives. This unique flexibility ensures rapid scalability, seamless transitions, and optimal cost management without the burden of long-term constraints. The bottom line, emphasized Shaji, is, “We will work with you, and not force-fit a solution that is not tailored to your specific needs.”

“Chazey has gained extensive operational experience in designing, establishing, and optimizing global business services and shared services operations in Latin America, serving the US market. The strength of our capability is grounded in hands-on experience, and our FlexBPO solution addresses operational roadblocks, enabling enterprises to scale rapidly while maintaining high-quality delivery,” said Esteban Carril (above photo), executive partner, LATAM at Chazey Partners.

“Organizations no longer need existing infrastructure or local experience in Latin America — Chazey provides the facilities, the team, and the operational expertise to enable growth, particularly in strategic nearshore delivery centers like Latin America. Furthermore, availability of high-quality talent is not a constraint across LATAM locations – day-shift operations only make it easier,” Esteban added.

A recent case exemplifying FlexBPO’s value involved a large multinational company that leveraged the FlexBPO model to transform its finance operations. By repatriating services from an India-based outsourcer and establishing a nearshore delivery center in Bogotá, Colombia, the company achieved a rapid three-month launch, significantly enhanced operational efficiency by 30%, and laid the foundation for further expansion into HR, IT, and procurement functions, as well as additional finance functions.

FlexBPO is particularly suited to enterprises aiming for enhanced agility, reduced attrition, in-time-zone support, and higher client engagement. It’s an ideal solution for companies looking to transition context-sensitive processes that require deep business expertise, manage evolving operational needs effectively, and reduce the complexity of offshore management.

Photo credit: Chazey Partners.

There is no dressing up the current Colombian situation, there is no amount of makeup that can cover the cuts and bruises covering the country. A general strike has been called by the Central Workers Union for 29-30 May, conveniently just before a long weekend. This has the dual purpose of supporting the Labor Reform Referendum and protesting the nonsense behavior of the senate.

In parallel, we have the text of the revived labor reform being prepared for submission to the 4th commission of the senate. These texts could have been ready Friday, May 23, but two members of what is a hostile panel, having pressing family matters, and it was delayed it until May 26. If that doesn’t sum up the wanton disrespect for the office they have been elected to, nothing does. Will we ever see the new proposals debated? Gustavo Petro seems doubtful, so the mess will continue. ANDI – Asociación Nacional de Empresarios de Colombia is backing it, which may offer some hope.

The fiscal situation also requires a lot of makeup. March saw the YTD deficit at 2%/GDP – a year ago it stood at 1% and ended 2024 at 6.7%. Aside from government revenues falling short of its spending plans, we have continuing monthly trade deficits. Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística – DANE Colombia reported improved export data last week, driven by agriculture; however, imports also rose 16.5% to $5.5 billion USD. That led to a deficit of $897 million USD, down on recent months but up 38% YoY. The rapid ascent in domestic demand for consumer goods means this situation is likely to continue.

Whilst tax revenues are rising post reforms, they are still below target levels and the DIAN (IRS) announced this week they are working with 19,000 who are struggling to pay their taxes. Clearly a country where too many companies aren’t accustomed to paying their full share – and this is in an expanding economy.

Ecopetrol have had a busy week. They have purchased 10 green energy projects amounting to 1.3gw which surpasses it 900mw target for this area of its portfolio.

Finally, a word on the markets. The Peso continues to steadily strengthen ($4169) whilst the stock market continues to hand tough and is up 26.4% YTD in dollar terms. The joke remains on the local brokers who have spent the Petro years scaring their high net worth individuals into paying high fees for low returning US markets.

Have a great day.

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Colombia Central Workers Union. Photo credit: CUT Colombia/Facebook.

In March 2025, Colombia’s agricultural and agro-industrial exports reached a historic value of $1.395 billion USD. This marks the best number for March since 1995, the year since which comparable records are available. This increase of 51.3%, compared to the same month of the previous year, highlights the strength of the Colombian agri-food sector and its ability to continue gaining ground in international markets.

Regarding the year so far (January-March 2025), the country achieved exports for a total of $3.682 billion USD and 1,446,100 tons, the highest records for this period since comparable records began (1995). These results confirm not only growth in value, but also in volume, reflecting a positive trend that continues to consolidate.

Dora Inés Rey, acting director of the UPRA, explained that: “The increase in exports reflects the competitiveness and effort of our agricultural producers, who continue to position Colombia as a benchmark in the export of agro-industrial products. These results are excellent news for the country’s economy; employment and development are generated, and the great potential that our countryside has is evident.”

Main results:

• Value growth: In March 2025, exports reached $1.395 million USD, an increase of 51.3% compared to March 2024.
•  Significant increase in coffee: coffee represented a notable increase of $311.5 million USD (+131.3%). It is consolidated as one of the main engines of the country’s exports.
•  Other notable categories: flower exports increased by $52.4 million USD (+23.8%), and cocoa and cocoa preparations rose by $31 million USD (+144.2%).
•  Volume growth: in March 2025, the country exported 510,515 tons of agricultural and agro-industrial products; an increase of 13% compared to the same month in 2024, with a notable increase in exports of coffee (+42.2%) and avocado (+94.5%).
• The first three months stand out: between January and March 2025, exports grew by 37% in value, driven by coffee (+100.8%), cocoa (+127.3%), and flowers (+9%).
•  Sustained increase in volume: during the first quarter of 2025, exports in volume increased by 3.8%; The growth of sugar (+26.8%) and soybean oil (+373.2%) stands out.

This performance reflects the importance of the agricultural sector as one of the pillars of the Colombian economy, with a clear impact on job creation, improved competitiveness and integration into international markets.

The outlook for the coming months continues to be favorable, with a growing interest in Colombian products in international markets; which translates into an opportunity to continue strengthening the agricultural and agro-industrial sector as a key engine of economic development.

Above image: coffee beans drying in the traditional open-air method. Photo credit: UPRA.