Tensions flare in poverty-stricken, violent Medellín neighborhood
By Daniel Brody, Editorial Director
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Thousands of people protested on Saturday against the violent gangs that are fighting for control of territory and the illegal drug trade in Comuna 13 in the hills of Medellín.
Locals marched through the streets of San Javier, a neighborhood in the area that has seen a marked increase in gang violence this year.
The protest was organized by local councils, in response to gang clashes that have forced many residents to stay shut in their houses at night.
About 130,000 people live in the 30 neighborhoods that comprise Comuna 13, and in recent years they have become affected by gangs with paramilitary origins that have violently fought for control of territory, drug trafficking, and extortion of businessman and public transportation providers.
Gangs have been known to fight each other in the streets in groups of 100 or more, many armed with machetes, shovels, and knives. About 140 gangs are suspected to be operating in Comuna 13 alone.
According to local government sources, gang violence has resulted in 503 deaths in 2010, fifty percent more than up to this point last year. 2,336 people have been displaced so far this year due to the violence as well, which is three times greater than this time last year.
The violence has also resulted in disruptions of metro cable service, cutting off many residents from transportation to their jobs in the city center below.
The protest took place hours before the planned opening of the Comprehensive Intervention Center in the Comuna, which will intensify police and government resources in the area.
National Police director Óscar Naranjo also activated an elite force of investigators in the area, with the aim of breaking up the violent gangs, and providing sufficient security for local residents and drivers of public transport.
President Juan Manuel Santos and Justice Minister Germán Vargas Lleras will be visiting the neighborhood this week to review security procedures in Comuna 13, after mayor Alonso Salazar asked for their assistence last week.
You must be logged in to post comments.
Sign in or create an account to continue.
-
- September 8, 2010 Blog Posts
Colombian Culture
General Blog
-
- September 8, 2010 Blog Posts
Colombian Culture
General Blog
-
- September 6, 2010 Blog Posts
Colombian Culture
General Blog
WoW Spotlight
-
- September 20, 2010
-
Fans of Cuban musicians the Buena Vista Social Club will be excited to hear that one of their most popular members, Omara Portuondo, will be giving a concert in Bogotá on October 1st.
"Feeling's Girlfriend" and "The Voice of Cuba" are just two of the nicknames given to the singer, who has been performing for over fifty years.
WoW News
-
- September 20, 2010
U.S. President Barack Obama will meet his Colombian counterpart Juan Manuel Santos for the first time on September 24th in New York, at a United Nations General Assembly meeting.
The two leaders plan to have a conversation about the future relationship between the two countries.