Petro and Duque meet over transition of power...
Colombia confronts former FARC chiefs with suffering kidnapping...
Colombia hears former guerrilla chiefs over mass kidnappings
Petro’s quest for a majority in Colombia’s Congress
Colombia’s ELN guerrillas reiterate call to resume peace...
Colombia begins transition of power after elections
The peaceful revolution of Colombia’s “nobodies”
Historic victory for Gustavo Petro in Colombia’s elections
Colombia’s election observers say voters received tainted ballots
Colombia elects new president amid fears of violence
  • About
  • Support
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Colombia News | Colombia Reports
  • News
    • General
    • Analysis
    • War and peace
    • Elections
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Sports
    • Science and Tech
  • Travel
    • General
    • Bogota
    • Medellin
    • Cali
    • Cartagena
    • Antioquia
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • Coffee region
    • Amazon
    • Southwest Colombia
    • Northeast Colombia
    • Central Colombia
  • Data
    • Economy
    • Crime and security
    • War and peace
    • Development
    • Cities
    • Regions
    • Provinces
  • Profiles
    • Organized crime
    • Politics
    • Armed conflict
    • Economy
    • Sports
  • Lite
  • Opinion
News

Gangs ‘impose curfew’ in Medellin

by Tom Heyden January 18, 2011

colombia news - comuna, bario, medellin

Citizens of a neighborhood in Medellin have claimed that gangs have imposed a curfew rendering the streets deserted by 8:00 pm, amidst an atmosphere of fear and anxiety.

This is disputed by the police, however, who maintain that there is no imposed “curfew,” but rather that the people are too scared to go out after dark.

The police’s claim concurs with the actions of a priest local to the neighborhoods, who has supposedly circulated a message warning the community to return home early in order to avoid “accidents” and not to remain out on the streets, reported newspaper El Colombiano Tuesday.

“All night we hear gunfire,” an anonymous source told the newspaper, who also mentioned how the “restricted” mobility of citizens followed a murder on January 10.

Colonel Freddy Buitrago, Southwest District Police Commander, claimed to not know about the situation because “they have not told us anything.” He added that there had been a meeting with the community only last week, in which they had said they were going to take action, “but this is new.”

Regardless of whether the curfew is either imposed or self-imposed, Manuel Ricardo Salgado, a lawyer specializing in Public Safety and a police colonel, believes that these acts by the armed groups are primarily a demonstration of power.

“The object is to demonstrate that they can intimidate people and create situations that remove any sense of collective security,” he said.

Police authorities have said that the recent conflict in Belen is the result of a confrontation between criminal gangs in “Las Violetas” and “Aguas Frias,” who are fighting for control of the area’s public transport extortion racket, as well as vaccines.

BelencurfewMedellin

Trending

  • Last polls before Colombia’s election contradict each other

  • Colombia’s police announce mass arrests ahead of elections

  • Colombia’s first lady, slush funds and organized crime

Related articles

  • Medellin government rejects ‘illegitimate’ interim mayor

  • Colombia’s inspector general suspends mayors on election meddling charges

  • Daniel Quintero

  • RSS

@2008-2019 - Colombia Reports. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by Digitale Zaken and Parrolabs


Back To Top