PROI is recognized globally for leading innovation in methodologies and technological advancements within a rapidly evolving industry. In a world where constant adaptation is crucial — driven by the advent of Artificial Intelligence, the surge of fake news, bots, trolls, avatars, and other digital entities — PROI continues to set the pace for effective communication strategies across the globe.

Mauricio Ferro, an alumnus of CESA and the Darla School of Management Columbia, South Carolina, and mentee of Miguel Silva Pinzón, former Managing Director at Weber Shandwick and FTI, has been a leader within PROI, consistently consulted by C-Level executives of major corporations throughout Latin America, Spain, and the US for his expertise in strategic communication. His career spans over 25 years of delivering impactful insights and materials that support media and public relations efforts.

He has served as a trusted advisor to six ministers of state during a period when such roles commanded significant respect. Through his creativity and resourcefulness, Mauricio has helped shape the positioning and protect the reputation of hundreds of brands, companies, and organizations.

Earlier in his career, Mauricio founded Position Comunicaciones, pioneering social listening algorithms in Colombia. Coming from Microsoft, his natural affinity for technology enabled his team to adapt and parameterize Radian6 software in Spanish, positioning the agency as a regional leader. This innovation attracted multiple international companies seeking strategic partnerships.

In 2015, Edelman Worldwide acquired his agency, recognizing its innovative methodologies and technological edge, appointing Mauricio as the first Edelman President in Colombia.

In 2020, Mauricio launched his current venture, TANK, which has distinguished itself globally through advanced crisis management solutions and immersive training using hyper-realistic Virtual Reality technology — services that are unparalleled in Colombia and abroad. His participation in an expert panel in Stresa, Italy, convened by PROI, exemplifies his leadership and innovation on the international stage.

Today, TANK exports services to multiple countries in diverse sectors, including finance, technology, healthcare, and energy, driven by Mauricio’s innovative approach and Colombia’s top-tier development talent.
His contributions have been recognized internationally; he has been featured in Forbes USA, and in 2014, PRovoke Media named him among their “Innovators25” for pioneering industry innovations.

TANK’s portfolio includes AI-driven tools such as PRejavú, a virtual reality and AI platform for accelerated executive training, a predictive software that analyzes the potential impact of online posts and news, and an advanced digital media buying system optimized through AI and data analytics — all designed to reduce costs for clients and enhance lead targeting.

Mauricio emphasizes that TANK has invested over five years in AI development, well before the widespread recognition of ChatGPT’s capabilities. Since 2023, the full suite of products, now matured and proven, has been exported internationally, showcasing 100% Colombian technology.

In circumstances where companies face reputation and positioning challenges — from stock markets and extractive industries to technology and healthcare sectors — Mauricio’s strategic insights, rooted in extensive experience and data-driven analysis, prove invaluable. This has positioned TANK as one of the most innovative and trusted firms in the communications industry globally.

Global Director of Crisis Management at PROI, Mauricio Ferro. Photo credit: PROI.

The agreement seeks to strengthen commercial ties between ISAGEN and Italian exporters within the renewable energy value chain. As part of this arrangement, ISAGEN has committed to participating in annual matchmaking events organized by SACE, where Italian companies will be considered for its procurement processes.

BNP Paribas CIB, the financier of this operation, is recognized in the global export finance market and as a key structurer of SACE-covered facilities worldwide, with a focus on sustainable transactions. BNP Paribas has maintained a presence in Colombia for over 50 years, providing financing solutions to clients locally and internationally.

Established in 1995, ISAGEN operates a diversified portfolio comprising 15 hydroelectric plants, 10 solar plants, and two wind farms, possessing a net effective capacity exceeding 3,000 MW. The company plays a role in Colombia’s energy transition and contributes to the country’s decarbonization targets, aligning with discussions at COP29.

This operation aligns with SACE’s strategic objective of promoting Italian exports and fostering partnerships in emerging markets. The focus is on facilitating long-term industrial collaborations in sectors driving the global energy transition.

Jenaro Laris Vázquez, director of SACE’s Latin America Office, stated that this transaction reflects SACE’s commitment to supporting Italian companies’ expansion into dynamic markets like Colombia, with an emphasis on renewable energy. He indicated that SACE aims to cultivate alliances where both ISAGEN and Italian enterprises demonstrate strengths. Matchmaking initiatives led by SACE are intended to facilitate new commercial relationships between ISAGEN and Italian exporters, potentially influencing future investment plans.

Arturo Mejía, ISAGEN’s financial vice president, commented on the financial milestone, noting it reflects confidence in ISAGEN’s stability and long-term vision. He stated that the transaction with BNP Paribas CIB and SACE represents a strategic step toward diversifying financing sources, enhancing financial resilience, and increasing flexibility for economic fluctuations. Mejía added that the financing enables ISAGEN to expand its supplier base, reinforcing its supply chain through partnerships with Italian companies capable of supporting its mission to deliver clean energy.

Jorge Valderrama, BNP Paribas’ territorial director in Colombia, remarked on the significance of supporting ISAGEN with this financing line in collaboration with SACE, characterizing it as a notable development for ISAGEN and the Colombian energy sector. He emphasized BNP Paribas’ commitment to providing strategic financial solutions that assist clients in leading transformations within key sectors contributing to Colombia’s economic growth.

ISAGEN Medellín. Photo credit: Loren Moss.

According to the organizers, the four-day event attracted over 92,000 visitors, surpassing previous records. This included approximately 5,400 international attendees from over 58 countries, indicating a growing global interest in the Colombian motorcycle market and the F2R event.

The Secretaría Distrital de Desarrollo Económico de Medellín estimated that the F2R 2025 generated an economic impact of $33.9 million USD for the city. This benefited various sectors, including hospitality, gastronomy, transportation, commerce, entertainment, and tourism services. Official figures reported an 82% hotel occupancy rate during the event.

The trade show floor hosted 535 exhibitors, including 104 international participants and 300 representatives from delegations from China and India. Over 2,000 brands were showcased, providing a comprehensive overview of the motorcycle and light mobility industry. Commercial activity was notable, with over 1,600 motorcycles sold during the fair. The business roundtables facilitated over 150 meetings between entrepreneurs, further establishing the F2R as a key networking hub for industry development.

Innovation was a central theme at F2R 2025, with the “Ruta de la Innovación” featuring more than 61 new vehicle launches. Fourteen national and international assemblers and dealers presented their latest models and technologies in dedicated spaces across the venue, including the Gran Salón de Convenciones, Pabellón Blanco, Pabellón Verde, and the new Pabellón Naranja.

The event also emphasized knowledge exchange and training, with 23 academic events attracting over 1,930 registered participants. New additions to the program included the 1st Panel on Sustainable and Light Mobility, the 1st Road Safety Seminar, and the 1st Business Leaders Meeting. These sessions, alongside ongoing talks, forums, and workshops, covered topics such as electric mobility, mechanics, sustainability, traffic laws, and the inclusion of women in motorcycling.

Local entrepreneurship was supported through a partnership with the Alcaldía de Medellín. Thirteen local ventures showcased innovative products in accessories, specialized clothing, and technological solutions for the two-wheeled sector, including developments for individuals with reduced mobility. Noteworthy participants included Matt Movilidad, presenting devices for improved mobility; Orbit Wear, featuring motorsport-inspired apparel; and ImpercapImpermeables, manufacturing garments from recycled plastic.

Sports events on two wheels were a major attraction, drawing over 23,000 spectators. The Copa Stunt F2R Nitrox, sponsored by Nitrox, featured competitions in open, high-cylinder, 2-stroke, and 4-stroke categories. Other sporting highlights included the Festival Stunt F2R Nitrox, BMX and BikeTrial acrobatics, and GYMKHANA AKT competitions featuring AKT Motos.

Winners in the Copa Stunt F2R Nitrox Open category were Luis Bernal (1st), Juan Manuel Zambrano “Juancho Stunt” (2nd), and James Alejandro Pieñeros “James Stunter” (3rd). In the high-cylinder category, Pablo Zapata “Vocha” took first place, followed by Julián Arias (2nd) and Marco Ramírez “Marco Stunt” (3rd). The 2-Stroke category saw Neider Messino “Neider Stunt” in first, Cristian Zuluaga “Virni” in second, and Jhon Mario Ortiz “Jhonma_Baylay” in third. Finally, in the 4-Stroke category, Juan David Zuluaga claimed the top spot, with Jhonny Zapata “Jhonny Stunt” second and José Edison Hernández “Goku Stunt” third.

The final round of the Copa Stunt highlighted the skills of the top nine riders, with Neider Messino, Cristian Gil Zuluaga, and Jhonny Zapata securing the top three positions. James Mejía won the Gymkhana AKT competition, followed by “Baby Stunt” and Gaviria.

The test drive track remained a popular feature, with over 1,850 tests conducted on gasoline-powered vehicles and more than 563 tests on electric and sustainable mobility options. This allowed attendees to experience the performance and technology of various models firsthand.

The inaugural day of F2R 2025 commenced at Parques del Río with a welcoming ceremony for over 500 national and international exhibitors, media representatives, and motorcycle enthusiasts. Guillermo Pajón, director and creator of the fair, emphasized the event’s significance in the business, academic, and cultural spheres of the global two-wheeled industry.

Academic sessions on the first day included a conference by Dr. Carlos Hernán González Parias from Tecnológico de Antioquia – ITM on the geopolitical implications of a potential new trade war for the automotive sector, highlighting Colombia’s reliance on imported auto parts, particularly from China. Another conference by Dr. Francia Inés Hernández Díaz from Forvis Mazars focused on optimization opportunities in customs tariffs, duties, and logistics related to sourcing and investment processes in Colombia and Latin America, with a particular focus on Asian markets.

Looking ahead, the organizers of the Feria de las 2 Ruedas have announced the dates for the next edition, which will take place from May 21 to 24, 2026. Additionally, they have invited industry stakeholders and enthusiasts to Expo2R in Bogotá at Corferias from October 23 to 26, 2025, and to the Autoshow, scheduled for August 29 to 31, 2025, which will focus on sustainable mobility and the automotive industry. These events underscore the sector’s commitment to economic growth and the promotion of new transportation modes in Colombia and the Americas.

Throughout the event, various industry voices shared their perspectives. Adriana Sanjuan, manager of Repsol lubricants for Colombia (BME: REP, OTCQX: REPYY), highlighted the value of direct consumer engagement and product showcasing at the fair. Angelo Acosta, a journalist from Moto.it in Italy, noted the passion and the strong need for mobility observed during the event, suggesting significant growth potential for F2R.

The Simposio de Clubes Moteros featured prominent figures, including former professional racer Álex Barros, who shared his career journey, and Silvio Frasson from Repsol, who discussed the importance of preventive maintenance and safety gear. Journalist Martín Urruty from MotoGP encouraged attendees to pursue their passion and seek new opportunities.

The final day of the fair included autograph sessions with Agustín Ostos (Soy Tribu), riders from Team Yamaha (TYO: 7272), and Tomás Puerta (Tomás Puerta). The day also featured the finals of the Copa Stunt F2R Nitrox, the Gymkhana AKT, the Festival Stunt F2R Nitrox, a show by Stunt Bike Factory, miniriders competitions, Biketrial, and BMX events. The Monster Energy (NASDAQ: MNST) Rock Fest F2R provided the closing entertainment for the event.

Photo credit: Feria de las 2 Ruedas.

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.

Colombiatex de las Américas boosted MICE (business-related tourism), which is reflected in the hospitality, transportation, and gastronomy sectors. Its 37th edition closed with 29,000 attendees.
The fair focused on internationalization, Latin American linkages, differentiated value offerings, and the sustainability of the textile, apparel, and fashion sectors.

Nine entrepreneurs participated in this full-service program, supported by programs from the Medellín Mayor’s Office. They work in the swimwear, baby clothing, underwear, knitwear, and menswear sectors. During the fair, they established strategic relationships, accessed new markets, and added value to their production chain.

Inexmoda announced the holding of two new fairs: the first is the Colombia Fashion Summit, a congress that will take place in October of this year and seeks to connect entrepreneurs and academics from the fashion world in Medellín. The second, called Nextech, will take place in September 2026 and will focus on machinery and technology for the various links in the textile-apparel value chain.

“One of the characteristics that has allowed Medellín to thrive in its worst moments has been the constant unity of the public sector, the productive sector, the universities, and civil society. That’s what it’s all about: how we are allies, how we take care of companies, so that things happen,” said Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

Colombiatex de las Américas generated an economic impact of $10.3 million USD for Medellín. Photo credit: City of Medellín.

With this edition of Colombiatex of the Americas, Inexmoda reaffirms its internationalization strategy through a mission of buyers from India, Brazil, Italy, Turkey, Spain, the United States, Peru, Costa Rica, Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, among other countries, who find in Colombia an opportunity to access products distinguished by their high quality, innovative design, and sustainability.

“Together with the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, we have developed a trade fair master plan so that these events continue to be held and generate economic benefits for the city.” We estimate that a trade fair like Colombiatex de las Américas generates 2,500 direct and indirect jobs. Not only are we kicking off the trade fair calendar for the textile and apparel sector, but we are also impacting the economy and creating jobs through business and specialized tourism,” said Sebastián Díez, CEO of Inexmoda.

In addition to the trade agenda, Colombiatex 2025 featured the Knowledge Pool, a space for updating and inspiring the textile and apparel industry that will bring together more than 30 national and international experts, who will offer nine daily conferences focused on regeneration, multidimensionality, and cooperation. Additionally, the fair will feature the Sustainability Route, which will feature 47 companies from Colombia, Brazil, Italy, and Spain, and the Materials Library, which will showcase progress in eco-friendly developments.

At this edition of Colombiatex of the Americas, the Complete Value Package took on special importance, highlighting the competitive advantages of the national industry in responding to the needs of the global market, as this model offers comprehensive solutions ranging from conceptualization to the final delivery of the finished product.

During the event, nine entrepreneurs from this category supported by programs from the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, had the opportunity to establish trade agreements, exchange knowledge, and transfer technology, which will strengthen their businesses and make them more competitive in the global industry. The textile industry in Antioquia remains one of the largest generators of employment.

Companies in the sector associated with the Fashion and Advanced Manufacturing cluster contributed approximately 7% of departmental employment in 2023. Meanwhile, in Medellín, 10,462 organizations are registered as part of the various subsectors that comprise this cluster. These companies’ total assets of more than $9.4 billion USD by 2024 and represent 8.8% of the city’s total companies, according to figures from the Medellín Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia.

Photo credit: City of Medellín.

In this way, the FILBo invites us to think of the body not only as biological matter but as a symbolic space where identity, memory, and resistance converge. For this reason, the Fair’s programming will explore corporeality from literature, science, art, philosophy, and politics. Thus, visitors will be able to approach this theme from various perspectives, such as the female experience, sexual diversity, disability, violence, equity, thought, time, migration, and pleasure, among others.

In this regard, Adriana Ángel Forero, director of the Fair on behalf of the CCL, says that: “the body is the first territory we inhabit, but we rarely stop to explore it in its complexity. At FILBo 2025, we want literature to help us understand it beyond the biological: as a space of memory, identity, and resistance. From science to poetry, the body is the meeting point of our emotions, experiences, and social transformations. In times when questions about our materiality are more urgent than ever, the FILBo will be the stage to reflect on what it means to exist, feel, and share from the body and the word.”

For her part, Catalina Chávez, director of the FILBo on behalf of Corferias, says: “We are proud of the theme of the FILBo this year and we are excited about the arrival of Spain as the guest of honor, as it promises a journey through centuries of literature, thought and culture, in an enriching dialogue with Colombia. This will be a unique opportunity for writers and readers to explore together the connections that unite us at Corferias, a unique place that is an icon of the movement and growth of the publishing industry every year.”

Filbo 2025

First authors announced

The FILBo 2025 will feature the participation of literary figures of national and international stature, such as the renowned writer Laura Restrepo (Colombia), who has masterfully narrated the darkest and brightest corners of the human experience; Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro (Puerto Rico), outstanding novelist and essayist for her works on migration and feminism in the Caribbean.

There will also be the Argentinean Andrés Neuman, poet, narrator and translator, winner of the Alfaguara Prize; from South Korea will come Kim Un-su, author of The Planners, a literary thriller of the Korean crime novel, translated into multiple languages and adapted to the cinema.

Also present will be Arianna de Sousa-García (Venezuela), writer of Atrás queda la tierra, her first narrative work, which is a moving non-fiction novel about the Venezuelan diaspora, the pain caused by dispossession and violence.

Fritz Breithaupt will arrive from Germany with his essay The Narrative Brain explores the impact of stories on society; María Cecilia Barbetta (German-Argentine), winner of several awards in Germany, including the Alfred Döblin scholarship, the Aspekte-Literaturpreis prize, the Chamisso/Hellerau prize; also from the Old Continent the Swiss writer and translator Dorothée Elmiger, Swiss Prize for Literature, will participate.

Connecting visitors with the Caribbean, the Fair will have Frank Báez (Dominican Republic), poet and narrator, creator of the spoken word collective “El Hombrecito”. Traveling to the south of the continent, the Uruguayan Mabel Moraña will talk about corporeality and desire, themes that she has worked on in books such as Pensar el cuerpo. Currently, she is director of the Latin American Studies Program at Washington University in Saint Louis where she teaches courses on viceregal studies to the present day, focusing on the baroque, nationalism and modernity.

And in the Children’s and Young People’s Literature slot, the Bogota International Book Fair will have authors such as: Elise Kova (USA), outstanding because its narrative escapes the usual sensuality, focusing on the emotional growth of its characters and who wrote the bestseller A Duel with the Lord of the Vampires; Susanna Mattiangeli (Italy), 2018 Andersen Award for Best Writer of the Year, the most prestigious literary award in Italy, creator of Crescendo, the story of Milo, a deaf boy, in a village without music and how he discovers it when it returns to his village; Maikel Rodríguez (Cuba), outstanding writer of children’s and young people’s literature, multi-awarded for his horror works, Romance de la Niña Mala Award for his literary career; and Luis Pescetti (Argentina) Latin Grammy for Best Children’s Music Album, ALIJA Award (IBBY Argentina) and Caniem Award for his book Cartas al Rey de la cabina. He will present at FILBo his book, Emotional First Aid Kit for Humans and Superheroes: The Right to Know That We Are Not What We Feel.

Spain, a literary bridge

This year, Spain will be the guest of honor and will arrive with the proposal ‘A culture for peace, with others and with the planet’, the slogan of the program organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Government of Spain and Acción Cultural Española (AC/E). Thus, the Iberian nation responds to the invitation of the Fair with another invitation: to generate a meeting space that has books at its center, a place of knowledge and imagination, an agora for dialogue about the issues that concern citizens today.

In this regard, Antonio Monegal, National Essay Prize 2023, curator appointed by Spain, through its Ministry of Culture and AC/E, for participation in the FILBo 2025, comments that: “it is not a conversation only between Colombia and Spain but between all the countries that share common languages, literary traditions, cultural spaces and history. As in any conversation, each one contributes their experiences, their imaginaries, their memory, from different perspectives of each country. In this dialogue, books are our allies and friends, but they are also indispensable instruments of change. They help us to face the problems of the world, to understand what is happening, to get closer to the experience of others, to learn empathy, to imagine solutions.”

Monegal adds: “Books are also the repositories of memory: they invite us to look back to look to the future. Peace is not reduced to the absence of war, to a truce between violence. Peace is also a desire for understanding, a willingness to negotiate differences and disagreements, a horizon of aspiration to coexistence and a commitment to care for the natural environment that we share.”

Some of the writers with a great impact on narrative, poetry, and essays that Spain will bring, reflecting the diversity that characterizes its current literature, are: Marta Sanz (Madrid), Herralde Novel Prize winner and finalist for the Nadal Prize, whose work investigates memory and identity with incisive prose. Clara Usón (Barcelona), author of La hija del Este, winner of the National Critics’ Prize; her most recent novel, Las fieras, explores a generation marked by violence and political conflict. Francesc Serés (Zaidín, Huesca), Aragonese writer in Catalan, winner of the National Prize for Literature of Catalonia; Ismael Ramos (Mazaricos, La Coruña), one of the emerging voices of Spanish poetry due to the power of his reflections on identity and language; and Leire Bilbao (Ondárroa, Vizcaya), a poet in Basque, whose work rescues Basque orality with a contemporary look.

A platform to connect businesses and industry experts

The Fair reaffirms its role as the epicenter of the publishing business in Latin America during the first half of the year, with the Professional Conferences that include key spaces to strengthen the book industry. In terms of business, there is the International Business Show, the FellowShip Program, and the Librarians’ Mission, which, together with 12 specialized conferences aimed at all the actors in the book chain, make the FILBo the central stage of the industry in the first half of the year.

One of these spaces is the International Business Show, a strategic meeting where publishers, literary agents, and distributors from all over the world will meet to finalize agreements for the purchase and sale of books, as well as publishing and translation rights, promoting the circulation of content at a global level. This commitment energizes the publishing market, facilitating strategic connections and new commercial opportunities for professionals in the sector.

In addition, the Fair will offer two scenarios designed to expand access to Colombian literature, such as the Fellowship Program, which invites seven international literary agents interested in enriching their catalogs with national editorial production.

They are Rory Williamson (United Kingdom), editor at Pushkin Press, where he publishes fiction and non-fiction; Baha Sonmez (Turkey), general manager of Redhouse and board member of the Turkish Publishers Association; Majid Jafari Aghdam (Iran), CEO of Pol Yainci, combines his experience as an editor, translator, writer and poet; Niyazi Khidirov (Azerbaijan), international rights manager at Libra Kitab, a publisher specializing in children’s literature; Massimiliano Bonatto (Italy), editor of Spanish and Latin American literature at Polidoro; Corinna Santa Cruz (Germany), editor at Buechergilde Gutenberg and specialist in Latin American and Spanish literature; and Benjamin Burguete (France), art historian and philosopher in Paris.

And the Librarians’ Mission, which will allow librarians from various regions to strengthen their collections through specialized advice and purchasing spaces, ensuring that more readers have access to a diverse and up-to-date offer.

Within the specialized Conferences are the Book Forums, which allow the exchange of ideas and experiences between the actors of the publishing world. This year, the Book Forums Master Classes will also be strengthened, an initiative that was born in 2024 and has been vital in offering practical learning to professionals in the sector. And for librarians, the Fair has the International Meeting of Librarians, an event designed to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the management and promotion of reading, strengthening their role as essential mediators between books and the community.

In addition to this, the International Meeting of Booksellers will be held again so that these important actors in the book chain can share strategies and challenges of the sector. For its part, the Books for Children and Young People Meeting will bring together publishers specialized in children’s and young people’s literature to discuss trends and opportunities. Also, translation and illustration will have their space with the Forum of Literary and Editorial Translation, the Forum of Comic Professionals, FILBo Ilustra-Ilustropía and the long-awaited portfolio review, where Colombian illustrators will be able to present their work to publishers.

The FILBo will be a meeting point for industry leaders with the Book Fairs Network Meeting, the National Meeting of Proofreaders and FILBo Emprende, which will promote publishing ventures with training and commercial exhibition. The International Copyright Seminar will open a key space for debate on the protection of works, while the FILBo Ilustra Master Classes will bring the best artists closer to the community. Finally, the BAM Film Adaptations of Literary Works will bring together publishers and filmmakers to explore the potential of books on the big screen.

According to Italian police, Belvedere was tracked down through intelligence gathering that included data obtained from a popular messaging platform. Authorities allege Belvedere acted as an intermediary between Colombian drug cartels and Italy’s Camorra crime syndicate, specifically the Casalesi clan, which operates out of Naples. The Italian Interior Ministry reported that Belvedere, originally from Caserta, specialized in brokering cocaine shipments between Colombia and Europe.

Italian and Colombian law enforcement conducted the arrest with Italian police officers dispatched to Colombia. The Italian police also released an image of Belvedere at the gravesite of Pablo Escobar, the infamous Medellín cartel leader killed in a police operation in 1993, signaling an apparent connection to Medellín’s historical drug trafficking networks.

Belvedere, approximately 32 years old, had been a fugitive since 2020. His apprehension underscores ongoing collaboration between Colombian authorities, Europol, and Italian anti-drug units aimed at dismantling drug trafficking networks linking South America and Europe. The Italian police noted his role in coordinating significant drug shipments from Latin America into Europe, leveraging encrypted communication tools to evade detection.

The arrest of Belvedere comes shortly after the detention of Norwegian suspect Pazooki Farhad, alias “The Professor,” accused of leading a separate narcotics ring trafficking cocaine from South America to Europe using sailboats. Farhad was captured at Bogotá’s El Dorado Airport in July, while his associate Bernsten Bjarte was arrested in Barranquilla.

Both arrests highlight the Colombian and international law enforcement community’s focus on dismantling Europe-bound drug trafficking operations originating from Colombia..

Photo courtesy Italian State Police

A wastewater analysis has indicated that in Europe, cocaine from South America is now being consumed in smaller towns, as well as major urban areas.

Photo: A dismantled cocaine laboratory in Tolima, Colombia. (Credit: Colombian Air Force)

The report, published on March 20 by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), is the institution’s latest annual overview of drug residues used to estimate cocaine consumption across participant cities in Europe. This year, the report analyzed results from approximately 90 cities and towns, though several major cities, including London, Madrid, and Berlin, did not participate.

It found that the Belgian city of Antwerp, a vital port for the arrival of drugs from Latin America to Europe, remains the continent’s cocaine consumption capital, while eastern European states — particularly the Czech Republic and Slovakia — continue to dominate in methamphetamine consumption, though that is changing slowly.

The report also looked beyond the European Union for the first time to compare residues at a global level, including cities in the United States and Brazil in its analysis.

Researchers tested the cities’ sewage systems for indications of how much cocaine the population is consuming, which they estimate in milligrams per 1,000 inhabitants per day (mg/1000p/day).

Wastewater studies measure only drugs that have been consumed, not those that were dumped, João Matias, a scientific analyst at the EMCDDA and one of the authors of the study, told InSight Crime.

“Once inside our bodies, the drug is metabolized. Once excreted to the sewage system, researchers can take samples before the water is treated. We look for the metabolites produced after the use of a specific substance,” said Matias.

Here, InSight Crime analyzes the report’s findings on the increasing prevalence of cocaine and methamphetamine outside of major cities in Europe, as well as new data from non-EU cities.

Disparities Between Urban and Non-Urban Consumption Dissolve

This year, researchers noted that differences in residue readings between urban and non-urban settings in Europe no longer exist, suggesting that traffickers have flooded the continent with cocaine, and it is now available almost everywhere.

“Contrary to previous years, in most countries with multiple study locations, no marked differences were found when comparing large cities to smaller locations,” according to the report.

Record coca cultivation and cocaine production in nations on the supply side of the cocaine trade have enabled this spread.

Authorities in Colombia, the world’s largest cocaine producer, seized 739.5 tons of the drug in 2023, an increase from the 659 tons seized in 2022. Peru saw a 4.4% drop in seizures of cocaine but 53% more cocaine base, while Bolivian seizures jumped by 62%.

The Colombian government’s announcement in March that it would reduce eradication efforts to 10,000 hectares, half of 2023’s target, is likely to see coca cultivation increase still further this year.

Even with these record seizures in Latin America, seizures in Europe also continued to climb. Europe’s traditional entry points — Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain — all increased their seizures. Sweden and Russia, countries not known for receiving cocaine, saw large single seizures of 699 kilograms and 460 kilograms respectively, while Norway made its largest-ever cocaine seizure of 800 kilograms.

The report also found that cocaine residues have doubled since 2011 among the seven cities that have participated in the study each year.

From 2011, the daily value of cocaine residue across Antwerp in Belgium, Zagreb in Croatia, Milan in Italy, Eindhoven and Utrecht in the Netherlands, and Castellón and Santiago in Spain, rose from 341 mg/1,000p/day to 747 mg/1,000p/day in 2023. Last year, the rate in these cities was slightly higher, at 800 mg/1,000p/day.

The increase in consumption is “definitely related to the increased availability [in Europe] and the increased production of cocaine in South America,” Matias said.

Methamphetamine’s Slow Spread

The report also found that methamphetamine use has spread into new areas of the continent, while seizures of the drug both in Latin America and Europe have made the news.

“Methamphetamine use, generally low and historically concentrated in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, now appears to be present also in Belgium, Cyprus, the east of Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Turkey and several northern European countries,” said the report. However, overall, the study found that the amount of methamphetamine consumed remained stable.

“One of the highlights of last year’s report was that we were seeing an increase in methamphetamine use over most of Europe,” said Matias. “This year we found use in many countries, but we didn’t see the same increase in use we saw in the previous years.”

Methamphetamine, a synthetic drug, has traditionally been supplied to the European market by local actors, including in the consumption heartlands of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

However, in 2019, multiple arrests of Mexican or other Latin American methamphetamine cooks in the Netherlands and Belgium suggested that the “Mexican method” — the production of methamphetamine used in Mexico which produces a high-quality drug — was being learned by European producers. Since 2019, there have been no other arrests, implying that a transfer of knowledge has taken place.

The vast majority of methamphetamine production in Mexico usually takes place in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, and is then trafficked to the United States. Significant amounts of methamphetamine have arrived to European shores recently, though the majority was intended for onward travel.

In February 2024, Ireland made its largest-ever methamphetamine seizure of 546 kilograms, worth some $35 million. The drugs had come from Mexico and were on their way to Australia, police said. The shipment was traced back to the Sinaloa Cartel.

At the beginning of September, Mexican authorities discovered 20 tons of suspected methamphetamine aboard a ship in Veracruz, on Mexico’s Atlantic coast, according to a press release. The ship was headed for Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Non-EU Cities Rival European Cocaine Habits

For the first time, the EMCDDA report included wastewater results from non-European Union cities. Cities in the United States, Switzerland, and Brazil “show similar levels of use as the cities in Europe with the highest loads,” found the report.

Seattle in the United States recorded a daily mean of 647 mg/1,000p, while Geneva in Switzerland recorded 812mg/1,000p. The northeastern Brazilian city of Recife had a daily mean of 670 mg/1,000p.

These results are around the same as European cities like Utrecht (744), Paris (616), and Barcelona (619), but still far below the big hitters like Antwerp (1,722), the highest of all participant cities by a distance, or Amsterdam (1,210).

While cocaine consumption may be entrenched in many regions of the world, Oceania remains relatively untouched, according to residue findings. The daily mean of 102 mg/1,000p across Australia’s 55 sites suggests a dearth of the drug, and provides plenty of reasons for organized crime groups to continue, and perhaps even increase, their attempts to move cocaine to this untapped market.

This article, written by Peter Appleby, was originally published by InSight Crime, a Medellín-based foundation dedicated to the investigation and analysis of crime and security in Colombia and Latin America.

In this week’s episode

• Gustavo Petro calls for an end to free markets and laments the fall of the Berlin Wall – original video of his speech here. Berlin government information on the Berlin Wall and its victims
• Marta Lucia Ramirez implicated in unfolding Italian bribes scandal, while her husband’s firm is involved in a legally imperiled construction project in San Andrés, Colombia. Original article where she went after an investigative journalist for exposing her family ties to accused paramilitary drug trafficker Memo Fantasma can be read here.
• Guerillas make fools of the Colombian government, building roads and acting as the de-facto government, even building roads and operating openly in Tibú, Colombia with no formal government presence or opposition.
• Update on the evolving scandal involving Petro’s former chief of staff and ambassador to Venezuela
• Rumors of a possible resurrection of Ultra Air

Over the course of four days, 80,000 attendees passed through the convention grounds to absorb everything motorcycle related, along with participation from bicycle, electric mobility, and all-terrain vehicle manufacturers. Motorcycles were on display ranging in price from under $1,000 USD up to well over $50,000 USD.

The absence of Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda calls into question their commitment to the Colombian market.

International exhibitors brought in about twenty-four tons of merchandise from Brazil, China, Spain, the United States, India, Italy, Mexico, Nepal, Panama, Taiwan and Venezuela. Among the items registered are motorcycles, bicycles, helmets, spare parts, clothing, souvenirs and more, taking advantage of the fact that Plaza Mayor is a transitory free zone, removing duties and VAT on exhibited products.

With the exception of Kawasaki, that had a strong presence demonstrating its commitment to the Colombian market, the strange absence of the three Japanese brands: Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki was more than compensated by new market entrants demonstrating the Vibrance of the Colombian motorcycle market, and Latin America more broadly. For example, new vendor Vento Motorcycles made its Colombian debut  and announced a pre-sale of 300 motorcycles during the event.

Harley Davidson has been a faithful and enthusiastic exhibitor every year (photo: Loren Moss)

High end vendors like Harley Davidson and Ducati were also on hand, as were storied brands like Triumph and Royal Enfield.

Aside from commercial exhibits, there were 32 academic sessions attended by over 1,100 industry professionals, students and devotees, as well as accolades for groups such as women riders and motorcycle clubs.

The third annual stunt competition took place, with winners being:

Female:
Angie Dayanna Camargo Gómez – La Mona Stunt
Rookies: Belsasar Castillo Obregón – BelsaStunt299

Pre Experts:
Jhon Camilo Restrepo Vélez – Camilo Stunt

2 stroke Experts:  
Eduardo Messino – Neider Stunt

4 stroke Experts:
Pablo Zapata Parra – Vocha

High Cylinder:
Pablo Zapata Parra – Vocha