According to experts and attorneys at expatgroup.co, Colombia’s foreign ministry and immigration authority, Migración Colombia, have taken measures to accommodate those foreign nationals who find themselves within Colombia’s borders during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic and the associated travel restrictions. Expatgroup.co’s Jaime Aristizabal shares these insights with Finance Colombia readers:

This new National Sanitary Emergency has forced us to change our plans and even our way of life. In this sense, Colombian Authorities recently modified some procedures for the benefit of all, by flexibilizing visa expirations, providing visitors in Colombia the legal basis they need to adapt to the situation and plan their flights home.

There were two recent resolutions aimed at accommodating foreign visitors in Colombia. The first, issued in March by Migration Colombia, was a resolution targeted towards tourists having to extend their periods in the country due to the declared COVID-19 National Sanitary Emergency, and in April, the Foreign Affairs Ministry pronounced a hold on visa expirations.

The first came out of Migration Colombia, and was used mostly in Colombia by tourists for extensions, safe passage documents, and other administrative migration-related procedures, which, very similarly to the above, the time lapse of the visa is extended until the sanitary emergency is over.

Tourists who stay in Colombia need not fear any infractions derived from their visa status or legal status in the country. For a specific legal basis Foreigners may refer to the articles of the resolution as summarized below.

The purpose of this is for foreigners in Colombia to relax during these troubled days of the Coronavirus and the adaptation to new staying and flying procedures. We are always pleased to update foreign nationals in Colombia and all our clients at expatgroup.co. Our group of professionals steadily updates us with the Government resolutions and communications regarding the new conditions which the immigration service of the Republic of Colombia will enforce for the remainder of the State of Sanitary Emergency declared this current year:

 Immigration resolution 0918 of March 19th, 2020 pronouncements:

As migration rules to Colombia continues to change, expatgroup.co’s Jaime Aristizabal shares some of their insight with the new resolution. Photo by [add name here].

Resolution by which temporary extraordinary COVID-19 measures are adopted for the provision of immigration procedures and services at the national level:

Article 1. Suspension of the Validity Terms of the Permanent Safe-conducts (SC-2):

It provisionally suspended the accounting of the validity time of some of the Permanent Safeguards or Safe-conducts (SC-2) in force as of the date of this resolution, until May 30, 2020, inclusive, or until the term established by the National Government for the sanitary emergency.

The Safe-conducts to which the suspension will be applied are the following:

1.By Provisional or conditional release or order of the competent authority.

2.To solve administrative situations.

3.For discretionary criteria in the opinion of the immigration authority, as long as they are related to human rights and fundamental rights of their applicants. The situation in each particular case must be motivated through an administrative act.

4.A foreigner born in Colombia.

Exceptions are the SC-2 Permanence Safeguards to request and/or change visa and recognition of refugee status.

Article 2. From the Visa Registration and Issuance of Immigration Certificate:

The immigration authority may grant an opportunity to amend or refrain from initiating administrative action because there are grounds exempt from liability, as the case may be, in the terms provided in Resolution 1238 of 2018 to foreigners that on the occasion of the preventive isolation ordered by the national government to prevent the spread of COVID-19, has not been possible for them to carry on within the established terms in Decree 1743 of 2015 the registration of the visa and/or requested the Foreigner ID issuance.

Article 3: Of the Extensions of Permanence:

It provisionally suspended the accounting of the time of validity of the extensions of permanence or Temporary Permits of Permanence, as of the date of this resolution, until May 30, 2020, or until the term established by the National Government for the health emergency is met.

Article 4. Of the Special Permission to Stay (PEP):

The Special Administrative Unit for Migration Colombia will provisionally suspend the accounting of the time of absence for the cancellation of the Special Permits to Stay for the reason enshrined in number 4 of article 6 of Resolution 5797 of 2017, until May 30, 2020, or until the term established by the National Government for the health emergency is fulfilled.

Article 5. From the Otpas Activities Permit (POA):

It suspended the term of stay in national territory, foreigners who have been granted a POA type Entry and Permanence Permit, up to 30 calendar days, for any of the activities described in number 3 of article 13 and in accordance with the term established in Article 14 of Resolution 3167 of 2019, except for the permission granted by Shore Pass to the Members of Maritime or River Crew, until May 30, 2020 or until the term established by the National Government for the health emergency is met. .

Article 6. Regarding Temporality:

Before the expiration of the term stipulated herein and based on what the National Government determines, Colombia Migration as the authority for the surveillance and control of immigration and aliens of the Colombian State, will determine the continuity or not of this measure.

Article 7. Regarding face-to-face procedures:

The Regional Directors will be in charge of coordinating general public access to the Migration Colombia facilities so that the corresponding procedures for foreigners can be carried out, as well as evaluating and determining the provision of services in an extraordinary way outside their facilities. , in accordance with the preventive, obligatory, and transitory measures established in Resolution 385 of 2020 of the Minister: 3 of Health and Social Protection and other regulations that modify, add, complement, or clarify it.

Article 8. Regarding Validity:

The present resolution governs from the date of its publication and is above all provisions that are contrary to it.

Current Status of Visa and Migration Procedures in Colombia (2026)

As of 2026, the temporary measures implemented during the COVID-19 emergency are no longer in effect. Colombia has fully resumed standard visa and migration procedures, with in-person services reinstated and normal processing timelines applicable. Foreign nationals seeking assistance with current processes may consult updated requirements or access professional visa services to ensure compliance.

Visa applications can once again be submitted both within Colombia and through consulates abroad, depending on the visa type. Extensions and renewals are subject to the usual legal requirements, and automatic deadline suspensions granted during the pandemic no longer apply. Applicants are encouraged to review current procedures or obtain personalized guidance when managing renewals or status changes.

Travel restrictions related to COVID-19 have been lifted, and entry into Colombia is governed by standard immigration regulations. Foreign nationals should verify current visa requirements and may benefit from professional support when navigating entry conditions, documentation, or application processes, as pandemic-related exceptions are no longer recognized.

For up-to-date information and reliable support with visa applications, renewals, and migration procedures in Colombia, professional guidance is essential. Expatgroup.co offers comprehensive immigration services tailored to current regulations and individual needs. Explore available services to ensure compliance and a smooth application process.

• Website: https://expatgroup.co/
• Sales email: sales@expatgroup.co
• WhatsApp/Telephone: https://wa.me/19547993692

Click on the image above to view the video. 

Finance Colombia: But here, of course, in Medellín… Medellín is, as you know, kind of like a combination of the Silicon Valley of Colombia, and now with the biotech that you’re doing, it’s almost like Boston as well. It’s amazing to see something like this, not just Colombian operated, but Colombian owned, as part of SURA.

Jorge Osorio: We are very proud of it, you know, we’re very proud, and it’s kind of my dream come true. I left Colombia when I was very young, 22 years old. I didn’t know a word of English. I grew up in a very humble family, you know, a low-income family. But through education, I was able to make it through, and I ended up in Wisconsin, without even knowing where Wisconsin was. I went with short sleeves, you know? But I went in the summer, so it was great, because the summer is so nice, you know. As the weather gets colder and colder, I was like, “Oh my god, what am I doing here?”

Finance Colombia: By September, it’s all changing.

Jorge Osorio: I know, I know. The first November I was there, we had three feet of snow. It was up to here, so it was crazy. It was crazy. So then, little by little, you know, I learned English, and loved school, did my master’s, my PhD in Wisconsin, and I worked in the industry in the US. I started my own company in the US. My mom, all these things are inspired by mothers, you know, mothers play a major role in us. My mother told me one day, “Son, you haven’t done anything with your life.” After having my master’s, my PhD, and being a professor in one of the top universities in the US, my mom said, “You haven’t done anything with your life. People in Colombia are dying of dengue, and you haven’t done anything. Do something, do something for dengue, try to figure that out.” So what a challenge. So I started studying dengue, and with a friend of mine, created a company to make a vaccine, and I did it. It was successful.

Click on the above image to watch the full video and tour.

So that was like my moment of pride, and that vaccine is now in the hands of the people. Our company, Takeda, bought the vaccine, bought the company, and everything, and now that’s being used to prevent dengue. So at the same time, I said, “I need to do something for my own country, you know, my homeland. I’ve done this company somewhere else, and I need to do something.” So COVID came, you know.

And when COVID came, SURA said, “We need to do something.” Because what has happened is that we’re going to continue having these problems, you know, these outbreaks, these things are going to continue happening in general. But we were like one of the last countries… well, LATAM was one of the last regions to get vaccines.

Finance Colombia: Most people here who could, I mean, even I flew to Miami to get my vaccine, and then people were waiting on different ones, and the country was dependent on the mercy… And every other country is going to take care of their people first, and then send what’s left over down here.

Jorge Osorio: So we got vaccines from Sinovac, we got a few things there, but SURA said, “We need to do something ourselves, we need to do something.” So I came to meet with them, and that was my dream. I said, You know, I want to do something for my homeland.” And this is it.

So I decided, I want this to be inspired, to make people feel good to come to work here, and so the design of the buildings, I took a lot of a role in that as well. The design of the gardens, everything, the facilities inside, everything I did, I did a lot myself.

Finance Colombia: It’s amazing. So from Wisconsin, back home. And so you already sort of answered a couple of the questions that I have, which was why, not just why Colombia, not that there’s any bad reasons, but it’s interesting because there has not been, not just in Colombia, but in Latin America generally, not a large industry in producing high-level biologics.

I mean, some companies do things like produce vitamins, and some contract manufacturing, but not like the vaccines, which is a much higher tech than just saying, “I’m going to produce a generic, I’m going to produce a vitamin supplement,” or something like that.

Jorge Osorio: So yeah, because look, the whole region is 650 million. LATAM. That’s pretty large, isn’t it? And there are only four countries that make vaccines: Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, and Argentina, and they don’t make enough for everyone. So there’s a need to do this. There’s a need to produce something that will provide more vaccines for the region. At the same time, my dream is that… Tropical diseases affect people around the planet. It’s not just Colombia, or Venezuela, or the region, but mosquito-borne diseases, dengue, for example, affects people in Africa, in Europe, Spain, and Italy are having cases of that as well, and Asia as well.

Primary filling facility (photos © Loren Moss)

So I think what I would like to see happening is that we export science and technology from Colombia. We put our brains to work, and we export science and technology to help folks in other parts of the world, and we can control diseases in that way. We can export our knowledge and our scientists. I’m very proud of the scientists that we have, you know, people that we have.

Finance Colombia: The talent, and not just Colombian talent, but global talent. You have a quality control guy coming from India… And so that makes Colombia, and specifically Antioquia, kind of like a global hub.

Jorge Osorio: So what I want to see here, and we can even walk, and you can see. Because I’d like you to see what my dream is. You know, if you come to this area, it’s mostly.. You find these parking areas for cars that are near the airport, right? We can change the whole concept here by creating what you just said, a biotech hub.

That this whole area here, I dream that there’s going to be more buildings coming, hospitals, because we need some other supplies to make the vaccines. We need someone to make the caps, the glasses, and the enzymes. So I think we could have some other players that will come here and say, “Hey, you know, I want to be part of this.” And this could be a new hub for biotech. That’s how it started, actually in India.

If you go to a place like Hyderabad, if you’ve been there, but the hub for biotechnology there it’s called the Genome Valley. And that Genome Valley started about 30 years ago with one single company. Today, it’s amazing. And that’s what I want to see happening here: that we build more and more industry, and we invite more people to come to join this effort.

Finance Colombia: And people don’t realize that that brings not just the jobs, but the talent and the know-how that establishes you as the center for this.

Jorge Osorio: Exactly. And, you know, I think I’ve been seeing the Colombian folks that have come back, they wanted something like this to happen. They have said, you know, like you just met the plant director, Juan Fernando. He’s like, “Oh, you know, this was a dream of my life to be able to come back, but the opportunity was never there.” So I think we want to provide that, but also for the young people who are here in Colombia to feel that there’s an opportunity.

Finance Colombia: You don’t have to leave. There’s an opportunity here. A lot of times, there’s a brain drain.

Jorge Osorio: Exactly. Right. So we want to create the talent that we have. We want to stimulate the young people to say, “Hey, you know, I can do something as well for my country. I can come here, learn about technology, and new things to produce vaccines.” What I also like to have is innovation, okay? And what I have done is bring technology that has been used, for example, in mRNA vaccines. We can now make mRNA vaccines here.

Finance Colombia: Messenger RNA. 

Jorge Osorio: Like the vaccine that COVID, that Pfizer made, that was, you know, like saved the world, basically, the vaccine that was made in 11 months. We can make that here. And we can do that. So I think I’d like to have the concept of health independence, you know, that we can do health sovereignty for the region. And that our country can also… and our region, because I think more about LATAM. I’m very proud of being a Latino.

You know, we can say, you know, here we are. We can take care of things. We can do it ourselves. We can drive the economy. Change the economy of the region. You know, I think we can do that because when we export science and technology, we can change that.

Finance Colombia: A knowledge economy. It’s not good when all the laborers are local and all of the managers are from somewhere else.

Jorge Osorio: Yeah. That happens in some places. Some companies do that. You know, and I’m very proud also of the training. What we want to do is that the opportunity that I have, which someone gave me a scholarship in Wisconsin, and I can do it for a hundred people. I can do it for more people. So we are sending people to Wisconsin. It’s a good education, you know, and I want them to have that opportunity to educate themselves, to experience what it’s like to be out of their comfort zone, and to understand that they can do good things. They can do even better things than I have done. So I’m proud. We are training people now. And not just science, you know. They are getting into business development, education, accounting, all that.

Finance Colombia: Accounting, engineering, management, right.

Jorge Osorio: All that. Right. So I think that’s what we love to see happening. To change this area.

Laboratory building (photos © Loren Moss)

Finance Colombia: This is such a modern plant. It’s brand new. I remember when they announced it, we did an article about four years ago, I believe it was, you know, covering it. And I remember thinking, “Okay, well, you know, it’s a concept. Let’s see.”

Jorge Osorio: “Let’s see what happens.”

Finance Colombia: And it wasn’t that I didn’t believe it, but, you know, I live very close to here. And when I saw the construction begin on the site, I was like, “Oh, this is real. This is coming.”

Jorge Osorio: This is real.

Finance Colombia: You know, and here it is.

Jorge Osorio: And also, one very important thing is the Colombian talent: the engineers, the architects, who took the concept, we had the best advisors from India and other places that have built manufacturing facilities all over the world. We took that concept and we have to translate that to the local language here because nobody here has made a facility like this before. And it’s not so simple.

If I walk you through this building and you will see the level of complexity that is on every level there. It’s amazing to be able to connect the air, the energy, and all the water supplies. It’s amazing. So, to me, I’m also proud to say this was built by local companies, you know, that did that work. But we brought the best technology and equipment from around the world. This is what makes me very proud of it, that we have done that.

So, you can see that in three and a half years, this is what we have, you know, and I think it’s really…We have had visitors from all over the world now, different companies that have said, you know, like you said, “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t know if those guys are going to come up with anything.” But look at it now.

Finance Colombia: When you saw SURA behind it, you know, SURA is a multinational. It’s Colombian, based in Medellín. It’s a company that already has assets and operations, and they, you know, they go far beyond everything from health insurance to car insurance to all different types of asset management and things like that. So, certainly that backing, I would imagine, gives you the financial stability.

Jorge Osorio: It does. That’s why I made that major commitment, because for a long time I wanted to do this, but people will say: “you know, I’ll give you $500,000.” This takes more than that, you know. So, when I first started this project, I told SURA, well, this is going to cost probably $100 million. In the first year, you’re going to cost maybe about $15 million. Say, okay, what are you waiting for to get started?

So, you need to have that muscle behind, that group that tells you, you’re not going to run short of this. And that’s where I think the private sector in our economy plays a major role. This would have never happened with government funds. I’ll be honest with you. I wish I were wrong there, but you need that private muscle, insurance that says, “Hey, you know, here I’m supporting you and, you know, just keep going, keep going.”

Finance Colombia: The patience, not just the capital, but I mean, it’s kind of sad when we look at it. There are cases. I was in Cartagena, and I was in La Guajira recently, and I saw unfinished hospitals. And there’s a case right now up on the Atlantic coast, and they gave the guy the deposit to start building the hospital, and he ran off, and he’s in Miami somewhere or something like that.

Jorge Osorio: That’s crazy. That’s crazy. So, you know, I think what we have here is also my name, my credibility. I put my name on this, and I want to deliver. I want to deliver to SURA but also to my people, to my commitment that I have.

Finance Colombia: Oh, it’s helping untold millions. Something you talked about earlier that I’m also curious about, you mentioned the work that you’ve done with dengue. And dengue, I remember my first time in Nicaragua, which was before, it was back in the 90s, and there was a dengue outbreak, and I remember being in a restaurant and looking over and people like falling out, you know, and I’m sitting there, but dengue is a very technically difficult disease to create a vaccine for because the vaccine is very, very harsh, and they won’t just give it, that’s why prevention is such a cure. It’s like, look, better not to get bitten by the mosquito.

And so, that’s challenging. And so, I wonder, you know, we’re up here kind of in the mountains at 7,000 feet, but we have things like dengue and yellow fever. In tropical… I’m sure that there are some, you know, I’m not a medical person. If we go down to the Amazon, there are some things that we have parasites and things.

Jorge Osorio: We have oropouche, we have malaria, we have chikungunya, we have many, many things that are tropical diseases. But also, some of those problems, big companies don’t want to put the resources into because they are so local.

Finance Colombia: Orphan diseases. Exactly.

Jorge Osorio: We call them orphan diseases, tropical diseases. So, my goal is also to create vaccines for these types of diseases that affect our population. And now that we see climate change and we see all these issues, we see that the mosquitoes are in Florida and Texas, and all these areas there. So, it won’t be a surprise in the future if we have a major outbreak in the US or something.

Finance Colombia: Then they start paying attention.

Jorge Osorio: Then they will.

Finance Colombia: But it’s important to be able to have the capacity here so that, you know, aside from the research and things like that, if you said we need to produce something, that’s not necessarily getting enough attention, you’re not beholden to some laboratory or some charity somewhere to do it.

Jorge Osorio: That we can make the decisions ourselves. That we can have that independence to say, yes, we want to do this, or we can do this. So, I feel that is also what makes us feel proud of it. You know, we can focus on our diseases, our tropical diseases, but they can also have an impact. I was asked recently, for example, one of the vaccines that I’m working on could have a significant impact in Africa. And we could do… It’s hard to believe that, but it’s going to be true. We will do a technology transfer from here, from Colombia to Africa.

Finance Colombia: Oh, yeah?

Jorge Osorio: That makes me very proud, too.

Finance Colombia: Exactly. Because Colombia is now a donor country, whereas 50 years ago, it was a recipient country.

Jorge Osorio: Exactly. So, we can change a few things, but we can also be more involved in this global partnership that we can be part of this network. And we are now part of this network that is also making vaccines and biologicals for all over the world. I think that’s what we wanted to do.

Finance Colombia: That’s great. It’s got to be a, I know it’s a source of pride for you, but also for Paisas, for Antioquia, for Medellín, Rionegro, of course, and then for all of Colombia. And like you mentioned, for Latin America, it’s great to see Colombia taking a leadership role. We hear about Brazil doing things and Mexico doing things, but now Colombia is part of that top tier.

Jorge Osorio: Totally. I feel that that’s what makes us proud. And this is not just an Antioquia or Rionegro project, it’s a nationwide project. And I see more of a regional project, of the entire region. I was in Rio last week as part of this global vaccine research network, and it’s the partnerships that we are doing with people from companies in Brazil, companies in Argentina. You mentioned Mexico, Nicaragua, all those countries, and Cuba as well. And we partner with them. We want to work together with them. So, I think I see this is how we can work together and show that Colombia is going to be on the map. It’s going to be on the map of biotechnology, which I’d like to see happening.

Finance Colombia: Absolutely. It’s so amazing what you’re doing here. I’d love to see if you could kind of give us a tour and show us the cool stuff.

Jorge Osorio: So, let’s, I want to show you what my dream is. Ok?

We’re gonna go there but I want you to see this area here. Because we just walked by, you know, without appreciating this. Look at this. This spiral.

Finance Colombia: It’s almost like…It reminds me of the helix of DNA.

Jorge Osorio: Exactly. That’s what it is. It was made for that purpose. To have that there. We brought that in. The colors are the colors of the company. The Vaxthera colors. Which is…we’re very proud of that, you know. And here is the result. So this here is the filling facility, we are going to go into. I want to walk you through some of the areas where people work here at the facilities.

Finance Colombia: Okay. So is this like the laboratory part? Or the production part?

Jorge Osorio: So here is where we bring…You’re gonna see the Rolls-Royce of equipment. Which is very exciting. This equipment took about three years to build. Two and a half years. It was built in Germany. Bausch. Custom-made for us. With a lot of sacrifice and pain from us. Because we have to deal with them here and there. Bring the equipment here. And make it work here. So it takes a while.

Paul: So since we are at the final stage of the construction of the facility. We still have some activities going on inside. But we implemented some measures to minimize the contamination.

Finance Colombia: Right. And the idea is to begin production in April?

Jorge Osorio: So we are going through the process of certification. What’s called certification. And so the team here is preparing what’s called the dossier for the regulatory packaging for INVIMA to come and inspect us.

Finance Colombia: And INVIMA, it’s like the FDA.

Pressure gauges are part of an integrated building management system to prevent contamination. (photos © Loren Moss)

Jorge Osorio: Exactly. The Colombian FDA. So that’s what’s gonna happen.

Paul: So, over here we have some offices, some storage rooms. The raw materials and the consumables that we’re going to use for the manufacturing process are the access to those materials. So it’s a material airlock. So they come directly from the warehouse, and then from here we’re going to sanitize them, and then we’re going to move them into the manufacturing suite. Let’s talk about these guys, pressure gauges. So our facility works with a cascade effect. So that means that the pressure in the grade A area is higher, the highest.

So when you open a door, basically when we’re transitioning from a dirty room to a clean room, the air from the clean room is coming out into the dirty room and not the opposite. It’s like a balloon when you inflate a balloon. So you are creating pressure inside, and then if you release the air, that air is coming out. That’s the principle of the clean rooms. Right. So that’s why it’s very important to have contingencies for power. So that’s constantly monitored by the building management system. So it’s 24/7 that we monitor temperature, pressure, and humidity. So all these devices are connected to a building management system. And in real time, we can check on the computer all those conditions.

Along the way, you can see some storage rooms, some change rooms. Here in particular, we have what we call a disinfection chamber. A fumigation box. So basically, in here, all those materials that we bring from the warehouse, we are going to disinfect them using hydrogen peroxide. So any material that we want to transfer into the aseptic areas, they must be disinfected with the peroxide.

Finance Colombia: So this is one line of production, and then you’ll have multiple lines of production similar to this?

Jorge Osorio: Eventually. This is for now. We’ll have other ones in the future that will be a different technique that will be like, you know, you have seen those pre-filled syringes, we will have something like that as well.

Finance Colombia: Life-saving. Amazing. Wow.

Jorge Osorio: The water tanks that supply water for the company are based right there, so it’s a very special building, and you can see that from there all the gases and lines are piped to all the different buildings, so that comes here to this, this is the filling facility. Then we have another building, which is like the social building, where people go for lunch, and we go we will go there if you like too. You will see nice areas because I also believe that our workers need to have a nice environment to do well.

Finance Colombia: I mean look at the care that you put into the facilities and making it attractive, and an attractive place to work.

Jorge Osorio: I’ll show you that one, it’s also it’s called the potency lab, so we have about six buildings, so that’s the potency lab that for every vaccine we need to test to make sure the vaccine really meets the standards, the requirements that you need to do, so it’s a nice facility that we have, we can walk through it if you like.

They do a few things here, okay, offices, pharmaceutical chemistry, you know, and then inside there, there is the facilities where they do all the potency testing of the vaccine, of the work, yeah, okay, so that would be inside behind there.

Finance Colombia: Wow, amazing, this is so great to see a modern… not just a facility here, but like I said, it’s just as impressive because it’s domestic. You know, it’s one thing if I don’t know, let’s say Pfizer, yes, puts a  Pfizer says, “we’re going to put a factory in Colombia.” That’s great, but this is Colombian.

Jorge Osorio: It’s all made in Colombia, you know, this is what we’re doing.

Finance Colombia: When it’s fully staffed, how many people will you have?

Jorge Osorio: Likely more than 500. At this point, we have about 150 employees, and this is the plant facility, but we have a research lab in Medellín. We are making a lot of progress in a lot of things, very soon, probably, so number one: we’re moving the facility into the Invima regulatory package, so INVIMA is going to come to visit; we had a major announcement with the government, we announced about a month ago that Vaxthera, the Ministry of Health, and the National Institute of Health, signed an agreement to build capacity locally for the next 10 years. So we’re working together, Vaxthera will help the Institute of National Health to make vaccines as well, okay, because we cannot make all the vaccines ourselves. And it’s good to have partners, and to have them as partners of the government, it would be good for all of us.

One of the vaccine packaging lines deep in the heart of the facility. (photos © Loren Moss)

Finance Colombia: I mean, not just for Colombia, because when you increase capacity, then you’re able to help your neighbors. And not just that, but the whole licensing agreement… because when you guys develop the intellectual property, then you can go and license it, not just to other Colombian organizations, but around the world.

Jorge Osorio: That’s what we’re doing, you got it right. We got, last year, our first patent, for a vaccine that would protect against different variants of COVID, and that vaccine, now, it will also protect against Mpox; Mpox is a virus that is affecting people in Africa. So it’s going to be amazing that we will support some African countries, you know, to develop that vaccine, because we have made it here. We are going to make shingles here, too.

I’m so happy with SURA, because when we had this discussion with SURA, there were some people here in Colombia that were skeptical, saying, “Those guys are not going to do it, you know, they’re never going to be able to do this, or also, where are you going to find the people to do this.”

Finance Colombia: So you’re proving them wrong.

Jorge Osorio: Exactly right, so I’m very happy with that. We have all this space to grow. So take a look, we have all this space, okay? And we have access, we bought the land, this is from our neighbors, we bought them from a family, and that family is very proud of doing this. The owner of the land said, “I want my land to belong to this dream of having the facility here, to do something good.” We have areas here to grow, that we can build, in addition to what we can do here, we have space that we can build more, and there’s even a space behind there.

Finance Colombia: This is only phase one. You have all this space to grow.

Jorge Osorio: It’s going to be nice. And you see, we have the airport right next door, so many vaccines that we can make here.

Finance Colombia: You can ship them instantly anywhere in the world.

Jorge Osorio: Yeah, it’s gonna be nice. And I’m also hosting a scientific event, I’m part of a scientific network, which I want you to know that it’s called PanDengue, from April 21st to the 24th, and there are going to be scientists from all over the Americas coming here.

Finance Colombia: Oh great.

Jorge Osorio: And we’re going to keep hosting events here; there are going to be scientists from Europe, from Africa coming here as well. And I want to make the case, you know, why this could be a good investment, you know, because some people might be afraid of investing in LATAM. We expect next year to have vaccines with the label Vaxthera. Next year, and hopefully, the government will approve them, and we should be in good shape, so this also makes me proud.

Finance Colombia: And like I said, it’s just so impressive to see this happening right here, you know, 15 minutes from where I live, and even more so, it’s not like some big company from Europe or the US, or China, or China said, “We’re going to put a factory in Colombia,” which is good, you know, that’s great, that’s fine, but no, but this is Colombian, and that’s what’s so cool.

Today there are approximately 12,000 hotels and 120,000 Airbnb hosts in Colombia according to Cotelco and Asohost respectively. In December 2023 alone, Airbnb alone recorded more than $87M USD in payouts in a single month to property owners across the country. In 2024 it is likely that Airbnb will pay out nearly $1billion to their Colombian hosts (AirDNA). President Gustavo Petro called tourism “one of the largest drivers of economic well being”, ex-President Ivan Duque called tourism “Colombia’s new petroleum”. Indeed the country has come a long way since 2008.

My own humble beginnings started with a single Airbnb listing in 2010 when Airbnb first opened the market in Medellin. I was literally a pioneer. One listing became 2, then 3, and today more than 500, making my company Casacol the largest Airbnb operator in Medellin. Adding this to our 350 room hotel operations makes us the largest tourism operator in Medellin. More than 250 foreign investors have followed me and the international promotional activities of Procolombia, ACI Medellin and the Ministry of Commerce to help me build and acquire more than $100M USD in Medellin real estate. We sell almost 20,000 rooms per month only in the city of Medellin and support almost 300 direct full time jobs, and hundreds more indirectly. The growth of my company has been nothing but meteoric in line with the growth of tourism in Medellin and Colombia.

Minister German Umaña and Procolombia President Carmen Caballero recently presented a showcase for foreign investment in Colombian tourism infrastructure at the prestigious Raffles Hotel in London which charges guests $1,000 a night. The topic was sustainable tourism and this is the question that I think all foreign investors and local participants have in mind; is tourism quantity and quality in Colombia sustainable? Recently I have had my doubts.

We are ready to work collaboratively with policy makers for a brighter, more sustainable future for all 50 million Colombians with responsible and sustainable tourism as our core values.

In the last 5 years and especially exiting the COVID period, I have been a front row witness to a precipitous decline in tourism quality in Medellin. Our colleagues in Cartagena have reported similar concerns. Social media overflows with content that promotes what can be called international dating at best and just plain sex tourism more appropriately. Not to mention foreigners who wish to obtain cheap cocaine or experiment with locally manufactured synthetic substances can freely indulge with impunity. Colombia has recently been more and more a meeting place for the supply and demand for low quality tourism and their counterparties. 

On March 28, 2024, we too became victims when an Aribnb tourist was reported to police with 2 underage victims of presumed sexual abuse. Our property was smeared with the association to the accused despite our strict policies and best efforts being thwarted by the individual. To add insult to injury, politicians suggested that property could now be subject to asset forfeiture, a risk that every investor in Colombian hospitality small and large now has to evaluate.

Colombia is indeed at an inflection point with respect to its reputation in the world. Medellin has recently invoked a brand for the city “aqui todo florece,” and Colombia “the country of beauty.” But responsible tourism in Colombia can start with policy makers inside Colombia collaborating with governments around the world. There are more than 850,000 registered sex offenders in the United States visible in public databases. The Angel Watch Center from the Department of Homeland Security is designed to alert foreign law enforcement about Americans convicted with sex crimes that might be traveling to their countries. Colombia doesn’t yet participate in the program. Countries like Canada work with the US on reciprocal programs like NCIC/CPIC to ensure that any criminal record (of any kind) registered on a citizen of one country means automatic denied entry into the other country. Australia and the UK have similar programs. Colombia would be wise to explore cooperation with those governments to ensure those of us in the private sector never have to deal with criminal tourists in the first place.

But this is not to mention the true victims in this story. How can we overlook the deep social problems that allow for human trafficking in the first place? Where are the parents, where are the grandparents and who are they? What kind of conditions did these children grow up in? What kind of education did they have, if any at all? Were they caught in the vicious cycle of Colombian poverty that the OECD reports takes 11 generations for a Colombian child born today to escape? This is where Colombian policy makers have some deep soul searching to do.

But tourism can be part of the solution. Tourism is a labor intensive industry that benefits every single socioeconomic strata. The workers needed to pour the cement, lay the bricks, the engineers and architects who design the hotels and restaurants where they eat and drink. Every taxi and Uber driver which shuttles the tourists to and from museums, parks, beaches, attractions. The cooks, waiters, baristas. To the maids, receptionists, security guards who keep them safe while they sleep. And the entrepreneurs large and small, local and foreign who risk their capital to develop the infrastructure to bring them to Colombia in the first place. If tourism in Colombia (2% of GDP) rises to meet only the level of Spain (12%) there would be millions of Colombians lifted from poverty into stable, decent jobs in the formal economy.

Brad Hinkelman

I think I speak on behalf of every foreign investor, every hotel owner in Colombia, every Airbnb host when I say we are ready. We are ready to work collaboratively with policy makers for a brighter, more sustainable future for all 50 million Colombians with responsible and sustainable tourism as our core values. But please don’t threaten our capital, our private property. Please don’t break the social contract between the private and public sector based on the criminal action and intent of a few. Colombia can define its place and image in the World, and transform its society with a robust tourism industry. But only through a national tourism policy that protects its citizens, investors, and tourists alike.

Brad Hinkelman is the founder and CEO of Casacol.

The Grenons, all of Bradenton, Florida, manufactured, promoted, and sold a product they named Miracle Mineral Solution (“MMS”). MMS is a chemical solution containing sodium chlorite and water which, when ingested orally, became chlorine dioxide, a powerful bleach typically used for industrial water treatment or bleaching textiles, pulp, and paper. The Grenons claimed that ingesting MMS could treat, prevent, and cure COVID-19. The FDA, however, had not approved MMS for treatment of COVID-19, or for any other use. Rather, in prior official warning statements, the FDA had strongly urged consumers not to purchase or use MMS for any reason, explaining that drinking MMS was the same as drinking bleach and could cause dangerous side effects, including severe vomiting, diarrhea, and life-threatening low blood pressure. See https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/danger-dont-drink-miracle-mineral-solution-or-similar-products. In fact, FDA received reports of people requiring hospitalizations, developing life-threatening conditions, and even dying after drinking MMS.

Before marketing MMS as a cure for COVID-19, the Grenons marketed MMS as a miracle cure-all for dozens of other serious diseases and disorders, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and leukemia, even though the FDA had not approved MMS for any use. The Grenons sold tens of thousands of bottles of MMS nationwide, including to consumers throughout South Florida. They sold this dangerous product under the guise of Genesis II Church of Health and Healing (“Genesis”), an entity they created to avoid government regulation of MMS and shield themselves from prosecution. Genesis’ own websites describe Genesis as a “non-religious church,” and defendant Mark Grenon, the co-founder of Genesis, has repeatedly acknowledged that Genesis “has nothing to do with religion,” and that he founded Genesis to “legalize the use of MMS” and avoid “going [ ] to jail.” The Genesis websites further stated that MMS could be acquired only through a “donation” to Genesis, but the donation amounts for MMS orders were set at specific dollar amounts, and were mandatory, such that the donation amounts were effectively just sales prices. The Grenons received more than $1 million from selling MMS.

The federal jury also found defendants Jonathan and Jordan Grenon guilty of criminal contempt of court. The United States previously filed a civil case against the defendants and Genesis II Church of Health and Healing. See United States v. Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, et al., Case No. 20-21601-CV-WILLIAMS. In that civil case, the United States obtained court orders halting the Grenons’ distribution of MMS. The Grenons willfully violated those court orders and continued to distribute MMS. The Grenons also threatened the federal judge presiding over the civil case, and threatened that, should the government attempt to enforce the court orders halting their distribution of MMS, the Grenons would “pick up guns” and instigate “a Waco.”

During trial in July 2023, the jury saw photos and video of a dirty rundown shed in Jonathan Grenon’s backyard in Bradenton, Florida, where the defendants were manufacturing their MMS.  These photos showed dozens of blue chemical drums containing nearly 10,000 pounds of sodium chlorite powder, thousands of bottles of MMS, and other items used in the manufacture and distribution of MMS.  The blue chemical drums of sodium chlorite powder—the primary active ingredient in MMS—had warning labels advising the product was toxic, flammable, and highly dangerous to consume.

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Assistant Commissioner Justin D. Green of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office, announced the sentence.

FDA-OCI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael B. Homer and John Shipley prosecuted the case.

Lapointe commends and thanks the government of Colombia for its assistance. Lapointe also extends his gratitude to the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attachés in Bogota, Colombia for their substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Mark Grenon and Joseph Grenon to the United States.

Below: Grenon father & son hawking the lethal bleach solution and claiming it is a “Religious Sacrament.” Apparently the website where the video is hosted is a clearinghouse for other medical scams & conspiracy theories.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at https://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 21-cr-20242.

Even with the notable absence of several of the Japanese brands — except Kawasaki, which had an impressive presence — this 2023 edition of the Feria de las 2 Ruedas broke all records.

As something of a tradition, just as in prior years, Finance Colombia’s Executive Editor Loren Moss was able to unpack the details and takeaways of this year’s event with founder and organizer Guillermo Pajón. The two analyze the absence of some of the traditional two-wheel powerhouses, along with how the event has evolved and grown over the past several years.

Some may not realize that Pajón’s Prisma Events, the organizer of F2R offers an array of logistics services for events in Colombia throughout the year. For the first time, the discussion expands to the possibilities and offer for international companies and organizations considering holding their next major function in Colombia.

Next year promises even more, and smart cyclists have already marked their calendars for F2R from May 2-5, 2024.

Loren Moss: Mr. Guillermo, good to see you.

Guillermo Pajón: You as well! Nice greeting you, it’s good to see you. Thank you again for joining us, I told [our associate] Jason that you were already a very close friend of ours, that we appreciated you very much. Again, thank you very much for joining us in this 15th version of the fair. How many fairs have you been with us already?

Loren Moss: Wow, I think my first one was almost 10 years ago. My first F2R was in 2015, I think, and I’ve never missed it. I always plan ahead, because of all the trips I have, I always keep that space blocked. I assure you I will be in Medellín for that event. And wow, how impressive, number 15, how you’ve grown. And I think this year there were like 20,000 more people than last year, right?

Guillermo Pajón: Yes. I don’t know if you managed to tour all the pavilions. If you managed to see all the pavilions, logically it is a lot bigger insofar as space occupation, even without these three other very important brands, the Japanese ones that didn’t join us this year because of all that’s going on in the country. They got really scared with the new government, because when we went out to market the fair in 2022, the current Colombian government had only been in power for a month, and these brands got really scared. They said, “we are not going to any events, we’ll wait and see what happens with the country.” But well here we are and, again, thank you so so much for joining us.

Loren Moss: That’s something that’s a really complicated matter. Because I, as a journalist, and our publication is more about the business aspects, and there’s so much uncertainty in the mind of the investor. I’ve seen factory projects postponed. And what do the multinational companies say? They say, “let’s wait, see what happens.” So I hope they gain the confidence to return, but even though Kawasaki already had a stronger presence than before. Benelli Italy, are the ones that are always loyal, like Royal Enfield, we did the tour in the AKT factory in Envigado, where they also make the Royal Enfield; Triumph is also always very strong in the event. And this year I’ve seen there are a lot of new brands, right?

Guillermo Pajón: Of course. Vento arrived. Vento comes from the USA to Mexico and is a brand that I’ve known for 15, 17 years. It’s really strong in Mexico, and they came in full force. Apparently, they opened about six or seven sales points in Colombia, and almost 300 bikes have already been reserved before the month of August, so I think that is a positive impact for the industry.

Suddenly, the space that the Japanese brands left, other brands are going to take it, which can happen when one is not present and a consumer wants to buy a bike and doesn’t see it. But they see another brand. So, in a way, that takes away the potential those brands had. Not to say they aren’t benchmark brands in the world, but there’s a market for every user and for every pocket, as they say.

Loren Moss: It’s ironic. Because I was prepared this year, I saw Honda launched a new model out in the world, called Transalp, which is like the Africa but smaller. It’s a 77 motor. I wanted to buy that, and my wife was also going to buy. She has an ATK, but she wanted to switch to a Suzuki or a Yamaha. So, we go with our wallets ready — and they aren’t even there! Imagine.

Guillermo Pajón: Yeah, yeah. It made an impact. And let me tell you, there isn’t going to be a fair in Brazil, the Feria de las 2 Ruedas in Brazil, which was normally held in October-November. This year won’t be done in Brazil. Brazil is a market that is 80%, as someone explained to me, Honda, and Honda isn’t going to the fair. Therefore, there won’t be a fair. That Brazil situation for the end of this year caught our attention.

Loren Moss: Well at least we know then it’s not just in Colombia, and I hope the market takes up this issue. At least Kawasaki was there, but to see the other traditional Japanese ones — I hope they return. But speaking of countries, India was the guest country this year, if I recall correctly.

Guillermo Pajón: Yes, that’s correct. I think Europe and Asia, especially, are looking at Latin America in a very special way. I think there is a very important development in Latin America, and now we see Peru, Ecuador, and Central America growing quite a bit in the motorcycle industry.

There lies the importance of the Feria de las 2 Ruedas in Colombia, because it becomes equidistant for the Latin American market. I mean, Colombia is in the center of all of the Americas, and that allows the meeting of all the entrepreneurs of Central and South America as a sort of council, and that caught our attention quite a bit.

Because the Brazilian market is very much their own. It’s very protectionist. It has high fees for foreign brands to enter. Because it’s such a big market, they practically handle it all themselves. And they aren’t interested in having a big impact on the outside market.

Meanwhile, for the rest of Latin America — including Argentina now, which also has an interesting range of motorcycles, the same as Mexico — we are seeing high growth in the industry in Central America, Peru, and Ecuador.

So, there lies the importance of the fair and of having had India showing its products. Let’s not forget India has some really good products. The Royal Enfield is Indian, the TVS is Indian, and there are a lot of very high-quality Indian products and spare parts.

They have been really strong in clothing, meaning jackets, too. I don’t know if you saw the Pakistan stands. They are very strong in jackets, gloves. It’s a market that they are finding to be really interesting in Latin America, and that’s why the Feria de las 2 Ruedas has taken this role of being the fair that is gathering all the entrepreneurs of the Americas.

Loren Moss: Going from the global, international market to the local one, something new I saw this year was that you made a space for local entrepreneurs, from Medellín, Antioquia. That was a very interesting thing, some space to promote the local industry. Medellín obviously has its traditional textile industries. Obviously, there are factories here like AKT, like Incolmotos up north. But you guys made a space, and if I recall correctly, this was the first year that you made a space dedicated to small, local entrepreneurs, right?

Guillermo Pajón: We have always had this calling of making space from the social support side of the fair, because a small entrepreneur is going to say, “Look, I can’t pay for the stand, I can’t make it work, I don’t have the budget.” They see it as too unattainable, too superior, when they come across these big companies with very elaborate stands, and a lot of money invested in them.

What did we say to the mayor’s office of Medellín? “Mayor’s office of Medellín, come help us subsidize and contribute to these small entrepreneurs so they can also participate in the fair.” And I’ve got to say, the mayor’s office of Medellín provided money to these entrepreneurs, so they can subsidize their stay at the fair and make themselves visible.

They are small manufacturers. Some are “famiempresas,” as we call them in Colombia, meaning family companies. The man who is working with his wife, the one that is operating a small factory. And in some ways, we’ve seen over time how many of them, who started very small at the fair, have been growing year after year, because the fair opened up a lane for them.

I remember one time, there was a small clothing company that made small bags, and a company like AKT came along and said, “I’m interested in your product, I’m going to buy 5,000 of those.” That boy didn’t know if he should be happy or hide under the table!

Loren Moss: Exactly!

Guillermo Pajón: Because he was, like, “first, I’m glad because I never had an order like that, but, second, I don’t have the capital to produce 5,000 of these.” Because, logistically, a big company is going to ask for it, and first you have to produce it. And to produce it, you have to buy the input material. So he said to me, “look how great! — and at the same time, it’s bad what’s happening to me because I’m not prepared yet as a small entrepreneur to respond to this industry.”

Loren Moss: Good problems. There are good problems and bad problems. That’s a good problem.

Guillermo Pajón: That’s right.

Loren Moss: That was excellent. So, tell me, for next year, in the future, what worries me is that you run out of space. Because success leads to more success. Every year it’s more: There are more companies interested in participating. This year, you took the metropolitan theater. You didn’t have to do that before. So it is still growing — another good problem!

What you are going to do for next year? It’s going to be plenty of space because of all the interest. And you guys have two parts: a part for the industry and a part for the public. It was really good what you changed, that you made an extra route for the public, because there are so many people who want to participate that they are shoulder to shoulder.

I remember last year, it was so full, and it’s good to provide more space, but will there be more space for more companies, factories, the industry companies that want to participate?

Guillermo Pajón: Very good question. There are two things that we are going to do. We spoke with the metropolitan theater, because we were only using the internal side of the theater, and we got the confirmation that we can use the parking spaces, the lobby, and some parts of the theater lobby as a commercial area.

So, we are most likely going to have a larger commercial presence in the metropolitan theater. Not just for academic events or the innovation room, but the outside of the theater as the commercial part. And that will mean asking for permission for the closure of the surrounding streets to make that whole area one single fair, including the access routes, leaving space for parking.

That’s first. The second option is to be more selective. I explained it this way: As you get older, you say, I know what movie I want to watch, I know with what friends I’m going to live my life with, I know what liquor I want to drink. At a restaurant I already know what I’m going to order. You don’t just order anything nor accept everything.

So, we are going to strive to be more selective without disparaging any of the exhibitors, meaning that we will operate with the understanding that the fair is now at a certain level.

I’ll give you an example. There is an exhibitor that was in the white pavilion last year. The white pavilion has carpets and mats. Last year, Suzuki was there, SYM was there, and Harley Davidson and AKT. Very good brands. And this man sets up a stand without any decoration, with nothing special. The representative of Suzuki comes up to me and says, “Look, I don’t think it’s fair that I’m making such a big investment, setting up such a beautiful stand, and next to me there’s this stand so poorly presented that isn’t in par with this fair, which has, on an aesthetic and installation level, a very international presence.”

So, when we say selective, we don’t mean that we won’t allow them to enter. But that we are going to be more demanding when it comes to presenting and being at the event.

Loren Moss: I think that is a good strategy. Especially because there’s a lot of space. There is a place where you have the brands of the motorcycles, and you also always have a space for spare parts and tools and motorcycle jacks and stuff for the workshop. You always have space for jackets and boots and things like that. So, that also helps guests, because if I’m looking for that, maybe I’m going to find it here. If I’m looking for accessories, they are going to be over there. So I think that’s a good strategy. Do you already have the dates for next year?

Guillermo Pajón: Yes. It’s going to be from the May 2-5. Those same four days. At the moment, we are conducting a survey of the exhibitors to see if they want four days for the fair, or if they want five days. We are conducting a survey where we are asking exhibitors if they want it every year, or every two years.

We are conducting a survey of the exhibitors to see if they want to make it one year in Bogotá and one year in Medellín. Or just Medellín. We are doing all of that to have an outlook on what may be the future of the fair.

Bogotá is an interesting place on a user level, but we understand that logistically, Medellín — because of the assembly plants, the number of large companies the city has, and because of all that the city of Medellín generates — has a very strong appeal. But we do want to make agreed-upon and democratic decisions keeping our exhibitors in mind.

Loren Moss: Well, I know that the event is a big source of pride for the paisas [of Antioquia] having it here in Medellín. I imagine they don’t want to lose it, especially to the rolos [from the Colombian capital]. But be it in Bogotá or Medellín, either way, I’m always going to attend.

Can you tell me briefly about Prisma? Because your company is more than F2R. That’s the most famous, but you guys are large event planners, and I imagine there are companies from our multinational readers who think of doing fairs or events in Medellín or Colombia. What services does Prisma offer? Because I know the motorcycle fair is the most famous for the public, but I know you have a very successful company that does more than just the fair, right?

Guillermo Pajón: Yes, we have three business units. One is what we call Prisma’s own events, which is the Feria de las 2 Ruedas, and for over 20 years we’ve been doing another fair, which we started, called Feria Autopartes. That one, maybe next year we will be turning it into another fair.

And there’s a fair that is pending — there’s a date reserved for it already — called Autoshow. Autoshow is a fair similar to the one at SEMA, in Vegas. In Vegas, there’s a fair called AAPEX, which is a fair for spare parts for four-wheeled vehicles, and parallel to that there’s a fair called SEMA, which is the fair where they exhibit everything related to vehicle personalization, tires, tuning. Because the embellishment of vehicles isn’t so much about spares anymore, but rather it’s a fair more dedicated to the user as such.

So, that is one of the divisions of Prisma. Then, Prisma has another division, which is events for third parties. Meaning, we do conferences, provide accompaniment at other fairs for consulting, we do conventions, and some special events like festivals in the cooperative sector. Last year, for example, we did two big conferences. This year we are doing two other really big conferences, which we operate for universities or other entities and organizations in general, for the pharmaceutical sector we also do some conferences.

Then, we have a third division called Prisma Montajes, which makes possible all the installations you saw at the fair. Meaning, there is a separate warehouse, and when someone says we need to set up an event, we, for example, make the installations for Colombia Moda and Colombiatex in everything related to paneling. All things furniture. What you saw, for example, in the press room. All that furniture, all those installations are made by this third Prisma company called Prisma Montajes.

Those are the three business units that our company has.

Loren Moss: Logistics, so that’s very important. You’ve been very kind with your time, so I’m thankful. My last question, if I recall correctly, is how is your Harley Davidson?

Guillermo Pajón: Oh, yeah! I don’t have it anymore. I have other collector bikes that have always caught my eye. The thing is that I used to have a Harley Davidson, a really nice 883. You have a good memory!

So, the thing about the Harley is that the Harley is a bike that you have to take out for a ride, it’s not much of a city bike, because here the traffic jams in the city don’t allow you to have a bike where one can just go for a spin. And really my multiple occupations don’t allow me to be on the hog or in these groups that are riding permanently. But I have really enjoyed collecting a few bikes, especially the personalized and customized ones, which are the ones I like the most and the ones that catch my eye.

Loren Moss: Super. Well, Mr. Guillermo, thank you very much for your time. It is always an honor, and I’m also happy to see the success. The event is a great pride for Colombia, especially for Medellín, and I hope you continue having success as you’ve had so far. It’s a very important thing, and it makes me very happy and proud to attend and to participate as a journalist. So, thank you very much.

Guillermo Pajón: No, again, thank you so so much. Because people like you are the ones that make the event big — make it capable of crossing borders so that we can tell the world, in the middle of all these news that aren’t so good at times, that we are working for the country, that we are working for the good things, that we are generating jobs, that we are generating life, and especially, that we are making things happen. Thank you very very much. I send you my best regards with all my appreciation.

Loren Moss: Best regards — and see you in May 2024 if I don’t see you sooner!

Guillermo Pajón: OK, of course. Best regards. See you later.

Photos: Liliana Padierna

One of the most popular methods to target unsuspecting individuals is through online dating applications.  Individuals match with dates and there is an agreement to meet.  This meeting can either initially start in a public place or at the residence/hotel of the victim.  Eventually, a sedative is introduced to the victim, leaving them disoriented and sedated so they are easily robbed.  These types of crimes are believed to be underreported as victims are embarrassed and do not want to follow through with the judicial process, especially if they are tourists.

We are reprinting this urgent bulletin from the US Embassy as a service to our readers.

Historically in Colombia, a drug called scopolamine has been used to carry out these crimes. Also known as Burundanga in Colombia, it is an odorless, tasteless, memory blocking substance used to incapacitate and rob unwary victims. If ingested or exposed, scopolamine can render a victim unconscious up to 24 hours or more. In large doses, it can cause respiratory failure and death. It is most often administered in liquid, spray, or powder form in foods and beverages. Other drugs used in Colombia include benzodiazepines that can render a person unconscious. In one recent case, the assailant used zolpidem (brand name: Ambien), a non-benzodiazepine sedative used commonly to treat insomnia. These types of drugs can cause extreme effects and leave the victims defenseless.

The US Department of State advises citizens to reconsider travel to Colombia due to crime, terrorism, and COVID-19 and to exercise increased caution in Colombia due to civil unrest and kidnapping.  The full Travel Advisory for Colombia can be found at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Colombia.html.

Actions to Take:

• If you are in imminent danger, contact local authorities by dialing “123” from any Colombian telephone line.
• If you are the victim of a crime, visit https://co.usembassy.gov/victims-of-crime/ for information on how to the U.S. Embassy can assist you and how to report the crime to the Colombian authorities.
• If using dating applications in Colombia, before you go on a date, let someone know who you are meeting, where you are going, and the details of the dating application account you are communicating with. Victims who are targeted on dating applications tend to have their electronic devices stolen which often contain all evidence of communication with the assailants.
• Avoid going to bars or nightclubs alone and leaving with strangers.
• Do not leave food or drinks unattended.
• Do not accept food or drinks from strangers.
• Seek medical attention if you believe you may have been drugged.
• Be vigilant and trust your instincts – if something does not feel right, don’t hesitate to walk away from a situation.

Assistance:

• US Embassy Bogota, Colombia
  Tel. +57-1-275-2000 or 601-275-2000
  acsbogota@state.gov
  https://co.usembassy.gov/
• US Consular Agency, Barranquilla
  conagencybarranquilla@state.gov
• US Department of State – Consular Affairs
  1-888-407-4747 or 1-202-501-4444
• Colombia Country Information
• Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates
• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Image created by Microsoft Bing AI

F2R, or Feria 2 Ruedas (2 Wheels Fair), officials claim that the four-day gathering created an overall economic benefit of $15 million USD given its generation of direct and indirect jobs, among other factors.

The convention, which was held from May 4-7 in Medellín’s Plaza Mayor, brought in 50 motorcycle industry exhibitors from 35 different countries and facilitated sales among the vendors. This year’s event also pushed the theme of sustainable mobility, including 19 exhibits that featured electric scooters and other displays with a focus on environmental awareness.

The exhibition hall at F2R 2023 was packed throughout the four-day event in Medellín.

While the first two days of the event are reserved for industry participants and registered attendees, the event became a public exhibition for enthusiasts in the city who gathered to see the motorcycles on display, purchase merchandise, watch riding displays, listen to talks, and generally enjoy the atmosphere.

“This year, the fair has been spectacular,” said Mauricio Maestre, director of PaMotos.com. “The flow of people has been constant as always, exceeding expectations … We have made sales, we are doing well, and our products have been received really well.”

Sponsors, vendors, and exhibitors spent the weekend trying to close sales and entertain attendees.

As before, the first two days are industry-only, where deals are done among the importers, exporters, and retailers, including all the major global motorcycle brands. There is also an academic track of 35 sessions where technical issues are discussed such as developments in lubricant, engine and electronic technology, and motorcycle lifestyle issues, such as group and club reunions, celebrations, and awards.

Saturday and Sunday, the final two days of the event, admission opens to the general public, and the fun ramps up with stunt shows, concerts, prizes, and general two-wheeled fun. 4,000 square meters have been reserved for two separate stages of motorcycle stunts and spectacles.

In addition to 780 motorcycles and 300 accessory brands, journalists representing 11 countries have registered to attend, 147 electric vehicles will be displayed, and there will be 19 exhibits on sustainable mobility, from electric scooters to next-generation personal vehicles. All Terrain Vehicles and Bicycles also have an important presence at F2R.

Motorcycles are an important mode of transportation in Colombia making it the ideal location for F2R, the largest and most important motorcycle industry event in The Americas. There are around 9.4 million motorcycles roaming Colombian roads, including over 640 thousand sold in the first nine months of 2022, representing a booming 19% growth over 2021 when mobility was restricted due to the COVID pandemic.

While high end motorcycles such as Ducati and Harley Davidson do well in Colombia among high-income riders, the market is dominated by small-cylinder (100-150cc) basic transportation motorcycles from brands like Yamaha, AKT, Bajaj, and Suzuki.

See also: Guillermo Pajon Discusses The Success & Importance Of 2022’s Bigger & Better F2R Motorcycle Industry Event

Photos: Loren Moss

Efromovich is said to have stipulated that he would not pay managerial compensation or severances as part of any such deal, and reports say that Shaw and other investors have already rejected the offer. According to Colombian daily El Tiempo, Ultra Air owes $8 million USD in bank debt and $14 million USD in outstanding accounts payable.

In Colombian aviation, truth is stranger than fiction.

Bolivian-born Germán Efromovich entered the airline business when a debtor in Brazil paid him in kind with a single aircraft. He ended up purchasing a controlling interest in then-struggling Colombian airline Avianca in 2004, growing it into a thriving international airline until disputes with minority shareholder Roberto Kriete and a crippling pilots’ strike led to operational problems and Avianca’s bankruptcy soon after the COVID pandemic began. When Efromovich couldn’t pay back a loan from United Airlines collateralized by his shares in Avianca, he lost control of the airline and was unceremoniously ousted and replaced by his nemesis Kriete.

Efromovich, who still owns assets such as Medellín’s iconic Intercontinental Hotel and his Movich chain of business hotels, has been on something of a comeback after launching Italian carrier Aeroitalia, and has even become a popular youtuber.

If Efromovich were to acquire Ultra, or another Colombian airline asset, it would set up an interesting “rematch” of sorts between himself and Roberto Kriete, now chairman of Avianca. Efromovich’s Avianca purchased Taca Airlines, started by Kriete’s father and run by Kriete out of El Salvador. At first a friendly deal, the two tycoons fell out when Kriete accused Efromovich of mismanaging Avianca and self-dealing to the detriment of shareholders. It must have been bitter when United Airlines booted Efromovich and replaced him with arch-nemesis Kriete as chairman. Efromovich, who has spoken publicly in the past about his distaste for the low-cost airline business model, would find himself back to take on his former airline now run by a man who sued and eventually replaced him.

It has yet to be seen where this leaves the serial entrepreneur William Shaw. Originally from Mexico, he has bet big on Colombia with his two creations, Viva and Ultra both grounded within a month. Neither airline has yet entered liquidation, so conceivably, one or both could possibly fly again. Stay tuned.

The industry trade group is ACICAM, the Asociación Colombiana de Industriales del Calzado, or the Colombian Association of Footwear Industry, with around 350 members. Finance Colombia’s Executive Editor Loren Moss was able to speak briefly with ACICAM’s President, Andrés Zuluaga during the busy event.

Finance Colombia: Colombia is very famous for the cattle industry, beef products, not only meat, but also products such as footwear. In Bucaramanga, for example, it is a capital that is very famous, because of shoe factories. Medellín is famous for its fashion, textiles and things like that. So, tell me about the importance of the footwear, leather goods, and leather industries for Colombia.

Andrés Zuluaga: The footwear, leather, and leather goods industry in Colombia is a very important industry. Last year we exported to the United States around $35 million dollars, only in footwear and $57 million in leather goods to the United States. We are labor intensive producers.

Our industry is an industry that is labor intensive and that is what makes it so beautiful because more than an industry, it ends up being a craft. There are products that are labor intensive and that makes them very, very beautiful and with very interesting attributes. And as you said, Santander and North Santander, that is (the capitals of), Bucaramanga and Cúcuta are clusters of this type of product. Obviously, Medellín is also a very important city because, in addition to having factories that produce bags and footwear, it is also a very important fashion cluster that integrates the production of footwear and clothing.

One important thing is that now we can see, for example, in the destination markets talking about the United States, Canada, Europe: Consumers, and also marketers, are more concerned about sustainability and want to know about the supply chain.

Not so much in Colombia, but we have seen in some neighboring countries that there are problems, that some products are not completely from a sustainable chain, as we are going to say, harvested sustainably from the land, sustainably from forests, things like that. We can also see, not so much in Colombia, but as for products from Asia that they are saying: “we want to see the labor that is manufacturing these things. We want to know that this workforce is fair and just, and the people have formal jobs with benefits and such.

Finance Colombia:  Tell me about Colombia, what things the ACICAM trade association has, and what measures the Colombian industry has to assure consumers that the products here are fair from the labor aspect, also from the environmental sustainability aspect.

Andrés Zuluaga: The leather industry unfortunately has a reputation that is not very good because the process of tanning leather implied a lot of waste of water and also a lot of pollution. Fortunately, our affiliates are in a highly judicious and sustainable process where there are not only solar plants, but also wastewater treatment plants, and carbon accounting.

So today we have measurement and it is that 50% of the exhibitors that are at the fair today already have some type of sustainability process, be it carbon footprint measurement, be it solar energy consumption processes or water processes. So we are to a very good extent, as a trade association, we are supporting this issue of sustainability. It seems to us that it is the only way to give support to an industry over time.

Finance Colombia: True and well, look at this event of yours. You already have more than 45 years in the original event, as there were two events already together and we have seen that there are many buyers, that there is a lot of international interest, now Colombia has free trade pacts with several countries: with the United States, with South Korea, with the European Union. So, what projects are you doing to promote the footwear industry, the Colombian leather goods industry in the rest of the world?

 Andrés Zuluaga: As an industry association we have some very important partners, like ProColombia. We are inviting international buyers to this fair. Today buyers from 21 countries visit us, there are 39 missions that come from other countries of the Americas to buy in Colombia and they do so first of all because of the fame of the quality product and well-made fashion concepts.

But also due to compliance issues, we are very close, we are in a place that is equidistant from South America and North America, and you know that Asia has had very large shortages after the COVID 19 epidemic, they have found an interesting alternative in Colombia and that has made exports to other countries grow interestingly.

Finance Colombia: What about the importers who perhaps are not yet negotiating with Colombian industry? How can they explore and see what opportunities there are for business, if one has not yet done business with Colombian companies?: Speaking specifically of this sector and what you have to offer. Because Colombia is not known as the cheapest country in the world, and that is good because Colombia has a good standard of living compared to other competing countries. But, what is the different commercial offer of Colombia?

Andrés Zuluaga: The different offer in Colombia is definitely on the subject of footwear, it is comfort and quality. We are not large-volume producers like China is, like Asia is, but the things we do are done very well. So here you will find a differential product that has a theme of quality and convenience and comfort that people will distinguish as soon as they see it, and proof of this is that we are at an international fair. We have 337 exhibitors here, a very representative sample of what the country is.

We are in Corferias, a facility that is endorsed by the Ministry of Health and the government and obviously there are entities as serious with us as the Chambers Of Commerce of Bogotá and some other regions. And obviously ACICAM is supporting this event.

Finance Colombia: And if there are some importers, some dealers, some companies in the rest of the world, obviously they are not at the fair this year. What is the process, how they should start, maybe exploring a portal, or talking to the trade association. How can one start the process?

 Andrés Zuluaga: There is a portal where our fair is. IFLS + IECI. You go there and you can find support. As you said, for a long time exposing two versions of the fair, you will not only find finished products, but also machinery and supplies for the footwear industry. And that is very important. In other words, if you are a supplier of raw materials, if you are a supplier of machinery, you can come here and tell us what you have. One of the important advantages that we also have as shoe producers is that in addition to incorporating Colombian industrial processes, we also have some things imported from Italy or other countries that give shoes a very interesting category. So we invite everyone who is interested in entering the IFLS+EICI website and to visit us and see the dates from there. The next fair will be in August, in August we have the next fair, most likely between the first and the 15th of August. There will be the dates.