Bogota is much safer than it used to be, the Colombian police chief claimed in response to the United States’ violent crime warning for Bogota, El Espectador reported Thursday.
The U.S. Embassy’s newest security alert is still far less severe than it was in past years, Colombian Police Chief Oscar Naranjo said.
According to Naranjo,”the concern of Americans is far less than a few years ago.”
The emergency travel warning for important nightlife sections of Bogota, was issued by the U.S. Embassy earlier this week.
According to the warning, U.S. nationals are highly susceptible to violent crime in Bogota’s nightlife hotspots, the Zona Rosa, Zona T and Parque 93.
The statement was issued following the stabbing of a U.S. embassy employee and the drugging and robbery of several others.
The Colombian police chief, however, insisted that these recent incidents do not reflect a return to the crime levels of the past.
“Within the historical context it can be seen that, in spite of the concerns of today, concerns are not as strong as they were in the past in America.”