The situation in the Country continues to deteriorate! Protests that set out to be peaceful, are infiltrated by troublemakers, who hide their faces, and then start throwing missiles at the Police, who then retaliate with rubber bullets and tear gas, there has even been reports of live bullets being fired.
Bogota has now had the Army deployed to try and restore some form of normality, with threats of this spreading across the Country. Medellin is now closed! There are no bus services in or out, the only way is by Metro, because Taxis can\’t pass the blockades set up on all the major access road, including the Motorways. Shops have brought down the shutters to avoid damage, and businesses disrupted because staff can\’t get to work.
Even the Pueblos out of the City are effected, a big camp has set up outside Barbosa, just down the road, and Buses trying to take people home, also lorries, were stopped and set on fire, burning barricades set up in the road, and threats of violence to anyone trying to pass. This is duplicated across the Country, and as it comes up to the weekend that many were due to go away on holiday, their plans have been ruined, because unless they fly ( and there is no guarantee of being able to get to the airport) all major routes are now closed.
Hopefully the Government lead by President Santos will act fast to resolve much of this, the President has given a News Conference today, stating that the Protests are valid, but must be kept peaceful and they will deal harshly with those who damage property and attack the Police and Army.
This is definitely not the time to venture far from home, we have had no problems locally, and have no intention of tempting fate by straying too far. We have already noticed the steep rise in prices, due to the Transport problems, how far and how long this will go on for, is anybodies guess, but if they continue to rise, there will be further protests from those at present on the sidelines.
Yesterday, we took Pépe for a blood test, to confirm he is fit for castration, they are certainly very thorough here, and not expensive for the blood test and operation it is only a total of £44, but then there is medication to follow! Anyway the results came back this morning and he is fine, so 9am on Monday, he will be at the Vets, they then phone once he has come round. He is definitely not going to like me next week!
An Englishman in Colombia 