ANNEX I: COLOMBIAN SECURITY SITUATION - AN ASSESSMENT FOR CANADIAN BUSINESS TRAVELLERS
1. Colombia's modern and expanding economy offers many opportunities for Canadian trade, investment, joint ventures, and technology transfer; more Canadian firms should take advantage of this business climate.
2. However, the security situation in Colombia presents serious risks for both Colombian and foreign residents. Careful and effective security measures are recommended for Canadians establishing a residence or business in Colombia.
3. Canadian and other foreign companies operating in Colombia have sought advice in selecting safe living accommodations and office facilities to ensure these do not present an undue opportunity for criminal or politically related elements. Housing should be in apartments with significant security, and offices are usually located in modern, secure office buildings. High-profile business people usually travel with trained, armed drivers. In some cases, such as for Canadian firms operating in the oil and gas sector, family members also travel with trained, armed drivers. Carrying cellular telephones in the car and on their person at all times is recommended by many companies and embassies. Remember to keep the phone out of sight, even in the car. It should be noted that foreign government offices and their staff, including the Embassy of Canada, are located in the north of Bogotá, which offers a complete array of services, shops, and restaurants.
4. Canadian and other foreign companies establishing operations in Colombia should take into account that the cost of doing business will be increased to cover the cost of enhanced security. Some companies in the resource sector have encountered even higher costs. Several reliable security agencies offer a range of advisory and protection services as well as hardware options that are being used successfully by both Colombian and foreign companies to protect both personnel and company assets.
5. Companies considering establishing a physical presence in Colombia would be well advised to consult with the Embassy of Canada Consular and Commercial Sections as well as with Canadian firms that have offices and staff in Colombia. They may also wish to consult with other foreign firms operating in Colombia, such as British Petroleum, Exxon, GM, Mazda, etc. There are a number of international security firms that also can offer advice on the security implications of establishing a presence in Colombia.
6. The security threat to personnel and non-personnel assets in Colombia comes from three directions. The first is the general criminal element. There is a high level of urban crime, including pickpocketing, theft in homes and on the streets, car theft, assault, robbery, and murder. The second threat is from guerrillas, who have continued their insurgency against the government and military, financing their activities largely through extortion, kidnapping, and other means that affect the foreign business community. Several foreign business people and other travellers have been kidnapped for ransom. The risk of kidnapping is high. The total number of kidnappings has decreased from 2003. While there has been a decrease in the number of politically motivated kidnappings, there has been a marked increase in those for ransom. In December 2004, three American citizens working for an international petroleum company were kidnapped in northern Bogotá, but they were released hours later. In September 2003, eight foreigners were kidnapped by the ELN in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region. The last of the hostages were released in mid-December 2003.
Kidnapping for ransom occurs in all parts of the country. Some guerrilla groups also regularly attack installations in support of their political goals. For example, the guerrillas regularly target oil exploration, processing, or transmission facilities.
The third element of danger in Colombia is from vigilantes and paramilitary groups, which are active. Their targets are guerrillas and their families, and increasingly the rural civilian population when it is perceived as sympathetic to the guerrillas. Paramilitaries are not perceived to be a major threat to the business community, Colombians or foreigners.
7. Choose to fly in jet-equipped aircraft rather than smaller turboprop planes whenever possible. Bogotá's El Dorado International Airport is South America's second busiest airport and is a safe international hub with connections to Latin America, the United States and Europe. For security reasons, it is preferable to arrive at Medellín's domestic airport (Olaya Herrera) rather than its international airport; however, this necessitates the use of airlines that fly only turboprop aircraft such as SATENA (run by the Colombian Air Force), AIRES and West Caribbean Airways. Medellín's José Maria Córdoba International Airport is 45 minutes away from the city and should only be used during daylight hours. Many business people stay overnight at the airport hotel upon their arrival by plane.
8. Colombia is both a country of considerable commercial opportunity and one of the most violence-prone societies in the world. The challenge is to balance the commercial opportunities with an intelligent approach to personal security.
ANNEX II: COLOMBIAN SECURITY SITUATION - AN ASSESSMENT FOR VISITORS
1. Judicious/extreme security measures are warranted for Canadians travelling to Colombia. Travel to Colombia, except to designated tourist resorts, should be deferred. Security continues to deteriorate overall and presents a serious risk for both Canadian residents in Colombia and Canadian visitors. In 2006, kidnapping remains a threat. Canadians living in or visiting Colombia should pay attention to their surroundings and practise sound security measures as a consequence of the unpredictable nature of the security situation.
2. Among the measures recommended by the Embassy are avoidance of certain areas of cities and towns and a heightened level of attention in all areas, as robbery and/or physical attack can be a threat. It is in your best interest to not wear jewellery on the street, keep any electronic equipment in a nondescript bag slung across your chest and, above all, avoid displaying large sums of money in public (or when paying a bill). It is advisable to carry minimal sums of money and to leave the rest locked in your hotel safe. Cash, traveller's cheques, and passports can be concealed in a money belt that fits under your clothing. It is also recommended that a photocopy of the first page of your passport (certified as a true copy by the Embassy Consular Section or any notary public) be used when travelling outside the hotel; leave your original document in the hotel safe or locked in your suitcase. Avoid going to bars alone. Never leave your drink unattended. There have been numerous incidents of drinks being drugged. Scopolamine is often used. Scopolamine is a powerful drug that paralyzes the central nervous system. Scopolamine can also be blown in someone's face, so be careful in your dealings with strangers on the street.
3. Travel by road at night anywhere in the Colombian countryside should be completely avoided; even by day such travel can be extremely dangerous. Most parts of the countryside are best avoided altogether, especially Guajira department (on the north coast), the Magdalena Medio region (Barrancabermeja), southern Bolívar, rural Antioquia, Santander and Norte de Santander, Putumayo, and Cundinamarca departments, where there is a risk of running into roadblocks of the FARC, ELN, and other paramilitary or terrorist groups. The national park areas of Los Katíos (Darién), El Cocuy (Boyacá), Las Hermanas, Los Nevados, Sumapaz, Farallones de Cali, Tayrona, and Paramillo have recently been the scene of heavy fighting. Avoid all national parks.
4. Random guerrilla roadblocks mean that all foreigners travelling in rural Colombia are at risk of kidnapping or worse. Canadians have been targeted periodically. Foreigners are targeted primarily for robbery or kidnapping for ransom and normally on an ad hoc basis (i.e. the victim is in the wrong place at the wrong time).
5. When travelling by car, lock all belongings in the trunk in order to not tempt thieves, and keep your doors locked at all times. It is highly recommended to park your car in a guarded parking lot. Buses should be avoided completely as driving is generally hazardous and passengers have often been robbed, even on city buses. Rural buses are often stopped by guerrillas. Radio taxis are recommended, rather than those hailed on the street, since radio taxis are controlled by a telephone dispatch system, thereby reducing the degree of security risk. If you have to hail a taxi on the street, take care: avoid cabs without licence plates and do not enter a cab if it is already occupied by anyone but the driver. Many taxi drivers are armed.
6. It is recommended that visitors send their travel plans to, and register with, the Embassy of Canada in Bogotá if they are travelling anywhere other than to protected coastal holiday resorts.
