The authorization by APHIS follows technical and commercial discussions between US and Colombian regulatory bodies. Minister Morales Rojas stated that the outcome enables the poultry industry to expand its presence in international markets and integrate into higher-standard value chains.

The regulatory modification is the result of collaboration between the Government of Colombia, the Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA), the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, the Embassy of Colombia in the United States, and the Federación Nacional de Avicultores (Fenavi), the trade association representing the poultry sector.

Six US facilities have been designated to receive the Colombian shell eggs for processing. These plants are situated in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Arkansas, and Georgia. The direct entry authorization for industrial use simplifies the logistics and required sanitary compliance for the export of the product.

Above photo: Colombia’s Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Diana Marcela Morales (courtesy MinCIT)

The competition, which also features the United States national team along with five other guest nations from the CONCACAF federation, features dozens of games during nearly a month of sporting action across 14 cities in the United States.

The Copa America 2024 final, on July 14, will be held in Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Other key matches are being contested in Atlanta, Charlotte, and East Rutherford (New Jersey).

“That Delta and the LATAM group — the airlines that best connect South and North America — are the sponsors of the Copa America 2024 is the perfect example of how both regions are destined to be together,” said Soledad Lago Rodríguez, director of communications for Delta. “Both airlines share a vision and commitment to deliver an exceptional travel experience to all fans who travel to cheer on their national teams.”

To further promote the event, LATAM will transform its airport lounges across the region into a space where fans can enjoy matches of the tournament on a giant screen while accessing comfortable spaces, cocktails, food, and WiFi.

“Athletes and attendees from different countries of the continent will travel to compete and enjoy this great sports festival, so good air connectivity is essential for the success of this tournament,” said Constanza Pizarro, corporate communications manager of LATAM Airlines Group.

Photo: James Rodríguez will star at Copa America 2024 as captain of the Colombian national team. (Credit: @jamesrodriguez/X and Adidas)

Bienes y Servicios International SAS was the recipient of the first Colombia loan issued by the Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey-based lender and will use the financing to purchase nearly 17,000 acres of vacant land in Sincelejo.

The company plans to turn into residential development, according to the firm.

“We are one of the only direct private lenders in the United States to offer loans abroad, especially loans on raw land,” said Kevin Wolfer, CEO of Kennedy Funding. “We understand the local laws and know how to navigate through any legal challenges in order to get the loan closed.”

The purchased lot sits roughly two miles from the city center of the capital of the Sucre department on the route to Tolu and will be devoted to building middle-income housing.

It will continue this schedule for more than two months before returning to its customary daily flight between the two locations on August 14. For the airline, this date marks the end of the “peak travel season” for flying between the New York area and South America’s “popular destination for business and leisure travelers,” said United in a statement.

The increased service for United, which also offers two flights daily between Houston and Bogotá, comes during a year in which the airline has been attempting to form a strategic partnership with Colombian carrier Avianca.

The Bogotá-based airline spent much of 2016 searching for the right global partner, and the company announced on January 31 that it “intends to pursue a long-term, strategic commercial alliance with United Airlines whose terms are yet to be negotiated.”

This was soon met with a legal challenge from minority Avianca shareholder Kingsland Holdings Ltd, which filed suit against Avianca, controlling Avianca shareholder German Efromovich, and United Continental Holdings. The filing claimed that the deal would hurt minority investors and alleged that “the United transaction diverts the vast majority of the consideration United is paying for a partnership with Avianca — a valuable asset that may provide United with an estimated annual profit in excess of $75 million USD — to Efromovich’s financially shaky affiliates.”

Avianca later countersued Kingsland. Its suit called Roberto Kriete of Kingsland, which has a 22% voting position in Avianca, a “disloyal director who has worked actively to undermine the company’s strategic goals.” It also countered the allegations against Efromovich by alleging that the Kingsland suit was filed by Kriete “for his own selfish purposes.”

United Airlines also announced today that it is adding a new direct flight between Newark and Buenos Aires. Pending governmental approval, it will begin operating the route on October 28. Once it adds the Argentina capital to its destination list, United will fly to 14 different locations in South America, more than any other U.S. carrier, according to the airline.

“From the New York City area, United Airlines operates more nonstop flights to Central and South America than any other U.S. carrier,” said Andrew Nocella, United’s executive vice president and chief revenue officer. “Our new daily Buenos Aires service gives United customers another convenient way to travel between the U.S. East Coast and Argentina.”

Photo credit: Lasse Fuss