Petro reveals strategy to change Colombia’s socio-economic model
How Colombia’s judicial reform seeks to solve prison...
Colombia’s chief prosecutor says paramilitaries kidnapped, interrogated investigators
Colombia’s war crimes tribunal to press criminal charges...
Colombia jails US citizen on femicide charges
Colombia preparing tropical paradise for tourism after 500...
Hacktivists leak 178,000 documents from Colombia’s military
Colombia sentenced for exterminating political party
Colombia’s capital Bogota awarded for failing crime policy
OAS urges Colombia to release people arrested over...
  • 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
Citizen "challenging authority" with an empanada. (Image: Twitter)
Economy

Colombia “legalizes” empanadas (and other stuff)

by Adriaan Alsema June 23, 2019
2.9k

Colombia’s congress has approved the so-called “Empanada Law,” putting an end to an absurd legal debate that began earlier this year after Bogota police fined a man for buying the popular snacks.

While effectively decriminalizing the purchase of empanadas on the street, the law particularly sought to protect informal street vendors from police harassment.

An obscure article in the country’s police code prohibits “the promotion or facilitation of unduly use of public space,” which some creative police officers used to fine people of buying stuff from informal street vendors or confiscate street vendors’ products and carts.

Colombians were particularly indignant when a Bogota man was given a $230 fine after he had bought an empanada from a street vendor.

The incident led to absurd situations in which cops chased citizens for waving empanadas at them or fined people for asking where they could buy empanadas.


Colombia’s Great Empanada Revolt


Palenquera fruit seller (Image: Rafaela Ely)

However, street vendors — of which there are approximately a million in Colombia — complained that police would confiscate their products and equipment, in some cases using excessive violence.

Even the iconic “palenquera” fruit sellers in tourism hotspot Cartagena complained police were arbitrarily harassing them despite the old ladies being considered part of the coastal city’s cultural heritage.


Cartagena’s iconic fruit sellers furious after police insist on clamping down on street vendors


According to the Empanada Law, informal street vendors cannot be fined or have anything confiscated as long as they do not interfere with the legal economy and in coordination with authorities.

According to Senator Carlos Eduardo Guevara of the coalition MIRA party, his bill that was approved on Thursday, the last day before summer recess, restores the “legitimate confidence” informal street vendors deserve, according to the Constitutional Court.

More than half of Colombia’s work force is employed informally, including the approximately 1 million people who make their living selling stuff on the street.

informal economypolice codestreet vendors

Trending

  • Colombia jails US citizen on femicide charges

  • Colombia’s war crimes tribunal to press criminal charges over failed plot to extradite former FARC chief

  • Petro’s reveals strategy to change Colombia’s socio-economic model

For patrons

Downloads for patrons

Related articles

  • 5 things to know about Colombia’s new police code

  • Colombia’s Congress wants to allow police to enter homes without warrant

  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Rss

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


Back To Top
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