Certain popular nightlife districts of Bogota are not off limits to U.S. citizens, the U.S. ambassador to Colombia clarified Thursday after a warning about these areas caused controversy.
U.S. ambassador to Colombia Michael McKinley said, “there is no ban or restriction order stopping people from going to places such as restaurants in Bogota. The only thing we are asking is for a little caution to be exercised,” reported RCN Radio.
This clarification comes after a warning about security conditions in areas such as Zona T, Zona G, Zona Rosa and Parque de la 93 located in the Chapinero borough of Bogota was issued earlier in the week. The communique recommended that U.S. citizens follow the restrictions of embassy employees.
The initial security warning was released after embassy employees were victimized in two separate crimes in the city; one was stabbed and several others were drugged with scopolamine and robbed.
The mayor of Chapinero Blanca Ines Duran said the warning “does not mean that they are blacklisting the borough.”
Colombia’s police chief Oscar Naranjo tried to downplay the warning saying that the capital city is far safer than it used to be.