Orgullo Colombiano – Siempre Contigo Colombia #QatarQualifiers
Filed under: Colombia | Tagged: Colombia, Futbol Colombiano, Soccer | Leave a comment »
Orgullo Colombiano – Siempre Contigo Colombia #QatarQualifiers
Filed under: Colombia | Tagged: Colombia, Futbol Colombiano, Soccer | Leave a comment »
Deléitese con nueve propuestas infaltables para agasajar y compartir. Que no falten los villancicos y, sobre todo, la buena comida para celebrar el nacimiento del Niño Dios.
Menu de Novenas Colombianas
Fuente: CocinaSemana.com
Filed under: Colombia, Comunidades, Cuisine, Cultura, Navidad | Tagged: cocina, Colombia Cuisine, cultura, Navidad, novena, Novena Navideña, recetas navideñas | 1 Comment »
Bogotá, 30 nov (SIG).
“Buenas noches. Queremos anunciar que parte de la delegación del Gobierno viajará mañana a la ciudad de La Habana en Cuba, para tener una reunión de dos días, igualmente con parte de la delegación de las Farc en esa ciudad.
El propósito de esta reunión es el de discutir, al lado de los garantes, una evaluación relacionada con los hechos recientes y que conoce la opinión pública.
Desde la perspectiva de la delegación del Gobierno, también provocaremos una evaluación de fondo, completa, desde un principio de las conversaciones, con el ánimo de lograr mayor eficacia en los diálogos, con el ánimo de decidir hechos de paz, con el ánimo de buscar decisiones prontas sobre lo que hemos llamado el desescalamiento del conflicto.
Esa evaluación global será hecha también por parte de la delegación del Gobierno en estos dos días.
De igual manera, queremos informar que para las liberaciones que se produjeron en Arauca y en el Chocó en el día de hoy, vinieron a Colombia miembros de la Mesa de Conversaciones en representación de las Farc, por autorización del Gobierno, con el ánimo de garantizar la operación, la seguridad de las personas, la vida de las víctimas, con el ánimo de facilitar y tener éxito, como se ha tenido, en un complejo proceso como el que ha ocurrido en los días anteriores. Buenas noches.
Fuente: Presidencia de Colombia
Filed under: Colombia, Liberaciones, Proceso de Paz | Tagged: Cuba, Farc, general Rubén Darío Alzate, Humberto De la Calle, La Habana | 1 Comment »
Tras una reunión con los Altos Militares y de Policía en el Ministerio de Defensa, el Mandatario informó que se suspenden las negociaciones hasta que sean liberados el general Alzate y otras dos personas secuestradas por las Farc en el Chocó.
El Presidente Juan Manuel Santos anunció este domingo la suspensión del viaje de los negociadores del Gobierno a La Habana, luego de que se confirmara el secuestro de tres personas en el Chocó, por parte de las Farc, entre ellas el general Rubén Darío Alzate.
Tras una reunión con los Altos Militares y de Policía en el Ministerio de Defensa, el Mandatario informó que se suspenden las negociaciones hasta que sean liberados los secuestrados.
“Mañana viajaban los negociadores de paz a una nueva ronda de negociaciones en La Habana. Les voy a decir a los negociadores que no viajen y que se suspende esta negociación hasta tanto no se aclare y se liberen estas personas”, declaró el Presidente.
Así mismo indicó que se confirmó que el secuestro fue perpetrado por las Farc y calificó el hecho como inaceptable.
Fuente: Presidencia de la República de Colombia
Filed under: Colombia, Proceso de Paz | Tagged: #ProcesodePaz, Colombia, Farc, general Rubén Darío Alzate, Juan Manuel Santos, La Habana, Peace talks, Presidencia de la Republica de Colombia | Leave a comment »
The average Colombian is better off than the average world citizen, a recently published global prosperity index claimed.
The index prepared by investment think tank Legatum Institute put together six core principles of prosperity that have been widely discussed in both the academic and policy community, and which we are documented to have a strong relationship with both GDP and individual well-being in a country.
The principles are: Opportunity; Education; Health; Freedom; Safety; and Social Values.
Other two variables included in the ranking are Economy and Governance.
Colombia was ranked 66th overall among all the countries, a result inside the upper middle level, though only 5 positions away from the lower middle tier.
Colombia not quite Norway
Top of the pecking order for the fifth time running is Norway, ahead of Switzerland and rapidly improving New Zealand. At the bottom sits Central African Republic, accompanied by other Sub-Saharan countries.
Colombia is the 8th among all Latin American countries, far behind the region’s leaders Uruguay (30th), Chile (33rd) and Costa Rica (34th).
Filed under: Colombia | Tagged: Colombia, Colombia Reports, Economy, Global poverty index, prosperity | Leave a comment »
Mesa de Conversaciones y Avances Acuerdo General para la terminación del Conflicto
(Detalles completos en este Enlace preparado para todos los Colombianos por la Cancilleria de Colombia – Info Consulados)
Filed under: Colombia, Proceso de Paz | Tagged: Avances Acuerdo General para la terminación del Conflicto, Consulados de Colombia, La Habana, Mesa de Conversaciones | Leave a comment »
THE WORLD is mired in insurgencies, with the rise of ISIS in the Middle East, the persistence of Russian-backed rebels in Ukraine, and the continuing attacks of Boko Haram and Al Shabab in Africa. But at least one seemingly intractable guerrilla war — Latin America’s longest — may be coming to an end. Colombia is poised to reach a negotiated end after 50 years of fighting against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the Marxist-Leninist insurgent group known by the acronym FARC. Laudable on their own terms, these talks also shed light on the social changes and negotiating strategies it might take to end other civil wars around the world.
Twenty months of negotiations in Cuba have yielded fruit: provisional agreements by rebels to give up the cultivation of drugs, in exchange for land reform and the opportunity for FARC to convert into a nonviolent political party. One crucial innovation was the unprecedented move to invite five delegations of FARC’s victims to the negotiation table, where they had a chance to confront the militants about their crimes. These interactions help promote truth and reconciliation, and Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos’ negotiating team should be commended for incorporating them into the peace process. “At the beginning of the negotiations, [FARC representatives] said they were victims, and that there were no victims created by them,” recalled Luis Carlos Villegas, Colombia’s ambassador to the United States. “Now they have changed. They sat face to face with people who said, ‘You kidnapped my daughter,’ ‘You killed my mother,’ and then had a conversation.” FARC members must acknowledge the harm they inflicted. And when victims feel a sense of closure and accountability, they can more easily accept the painful compromises — such as reduced sentences or even amnesty for FARC members — that are necessary to end the conflict.
Such talks aren’t always possible. The Colombian guerrillas likely wouldn’t be at the negotiating table if not for the relentless military campaign of former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe, whose father was killed by FARC. When Uribe took power in 2002, FARC was believed to have more than 20,000 rural fighters. Today, its ranks have dwindled to fewer than 8,000. FARC is willing to end the war because it’s losing.
Also helpful is Colombia’s recent economic growth. The country now attracts some of the world’s highest levels of foreign direct investment. Government spending on education and universal health care has boosted the quality of life. It’s a government radically different than the one FARC was founded to overthrow half a century ago.
Lastly, the United States deserves some credit. A multibillion-dollar US aid package known as Plan Colombia helped the Colombian government combat organized crime and drug lords tied to FARC. In fact, Colombia has been so successful that it is training other countries, including Mexico, in these areas. In a world full of war-torn countries with governments on the verge of failure, Colombia may at last have found the magic recipe to bring about peace.
Source: The Boston Globe -Editorial 9/18/2014
Filed under: Colombia, Política, Proceso de Paz | Tagged: Colombia, Cuba, Farc, Mauricio Dueñas, Peace, Plan Colombia, Politics, Santos, The Boston Globe, United States | Leave a comment »
Youngest #Colombia Fan
My Mommy dressed me up Today with my Family Roots… OK, I said Let’s SEE Who are they???? Never met them.
Got Ready and started yelling for my Grandparents country’s Team: COLOMBIA
#HinchasInseparables
… For the First time in 16 years we are at the World Cup. “My First World Cup” … Already!
Wow Time flies here!!!
I would not miss it for the World… After all I am Made with “Colombian Parts” 😉
Oh Boy, Tocayo “James”: You Did It !!! @JamesDRodriguez
In my Mothers side (Grandpas) country Colombia, you call Tocayo a person with your same Name. “James”
Thank you for My First World Cup I will never forget it….
Thallis “James” your Tocayo ~ You are my 1st Goal ….wait a minute… More like 5… Wow!
P.S: Tocayo “James” all I need from You now is if You can Teach me those moves 🙂
Colombian Dance
Filed under: Colombia | Leave a comment »
There is no question that James Rodriguez is the sensation of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. The Colombia No10 sank Uruguay with a brace on Saturday to take his country into the last eight for the first time and up his tally for the competition to five goals in four games, in which he has also served up two assists.
The 22-year-old is taking it all in his stride, happily posing for photos with everyone and attending one by one to the dozens of reporters who crammed into the mixed zone at the Maracana to talk to the man of the moment.
Appearances can be deceptive, however, for James is not a player who enjoys being the centre of attention off the pitch. Shy and reserved, the new darling of Colombian football is less than relaxed in front of the microphones, in stark contrast to his demeanour on the pitch, where he once again showed his character to inspire his team to victory over the Uruguayans.
It was a win he sealed himself, scoring both the evening’s goals, the first of them a spectacular effort that can lay claim to being the strike of the tournament so far.
“You always try to score goals like that in training, and I have to say it was nice to get one,” he told FIFA.com in typically understated fashion.
Though James might have been trying to play down his wonder strike, the fact is the watching world could see its brilliance for itself and savour his skill in chesting the ball down and thumping an unstoppable volley on the turn, from outside the box, and in off the crossbar, leaving Celeste keeper Fernando Muslera helpless.
Though Colombia had generated a good deal of expectation heading into the tournament, few expected any of their players to make a huge impact, especially in the absence of their injured talisman Radamel Falcao.
James has taken Brazil 2014 by storm, however, having already scored as many goals as Germany’s Thomas Muller did in winning the adidas Golden Boot at South Africa 2010, and in three games fewer.
His presence in the Colombia midfield has proved inspirational, as the Uruguayans can vouch for or indeed Japan, who were holding Los Cafeteros to a 1-1 draw in the group phase when James jumped off the bench to guide his side to a 4-1 win, which he rounded off by scoring the final goal.
Perfect timing
“It’s not easy to achieve what I’ve done, but my view is that when you have a dream and you really pursue it and picture things like this happening, then it can become a reality,” explained the toast of Colombia. “If you want something and you work hard for it, then it can happen.”
Though the midfielder has shown signs of his obvious class before, he is quite simply in the form of his life, making an international breakthrough that could not have come at a better time for his country.
As far as the player is concerned, coach Jose Pekerman is one of the people responsible for making it happen.
“The boss has helped me improve in everything,” said James. “He talks to me a lot and it’s thanks to him that my tactical appreciation of the game has improved along with my mental strength.”
Now that Pekerman’s charges have advanced beyond the last 16 time for the first time – a burden that had been weighing them down ever since Carlos Valderrama and his talented cohorts were knocked out by Cameroon at the same stage at Italy 1990 – James is convinced they can kick on and achieve even more: “This squad wants to go far and we genuinely believe we can.”
The Colombians have certainly given themselves a challenge, with hosts Brazil barring their path to the semis in Fortaleza on 4 July.
Contemplating that task, the tournament’s leading scorer said: “We’ve made history and we want to carry on making it. We’ve got Brazil coming up now and we know they’re a tough team with great players. But we hope to beat them.”
Colombia’s army of fans will be hoping so too and that their new idol can come up with yet another virtuoso performance.
Source: Fifa.com
Filed under: Colombia, Deportes, World Cup 2014 | Tagged: #SeleccionColombia, @JamesDRodriguez, Brazil, Colombia, World Cup 2014 | Leave a comment »
Colombia’s president, Juan Manuel Santos, won a second term on Sunday with an election victory that allows him to continue peace talks with Marxist guerrillas to end a half-century war.
Santos beat rightwing challenger Óscar Iván Zuluaga with about 50.8% of the vote after a bitter campaign that challenged voters to decide between the incumbent’s pursuit of negotiated peace or a likely escalation of combat under Zuluaga.
Zuluaga trailed with about 45.1% of support. Votes had been counted from more than 98% of polling stations, meaning Santos’s victory was secure.
His re-election comes as a relief to his backers as well as traditional rivals from the left who backed the peace talks and feared they could have been jettisoned by Zuluaga in favour of trying to end the long conflict on the battlefield.
Santos, who hails from one of the country’s most influential families, opened talks with rebel leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) in late 2012 to end a conflict that has killed over 200,000 people and forced millions more from their homes. He made peace hopes a key selling point throughout the campaign.
Although they have shown more progress than previous failed efforts, the peace talks in Cuba have been divisive. Zuluaga supporters fear a peace deal could hand the Farc leaders political power without punishment for their crimes.
Santos sought to capitalise on support for his peace effort this week by revealing preliminary talks had begun with the second biggest rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN).
A victory for Zuluaga, 55, could have spelled the end of the peace process if the Farc rejected the tougher conditions he vowed to impose to keep talks going.
Colombia’s financial market were not rattled by the campaign because both candidates are considered business friendly. Colombia’s economy is one of the fastest growing in Latin America.
Filed under: Colombia, Elecciones 2014 | Tagged: Colombia, Elecciones 2014, Paz, Peace talks, Santos, Zuluaga | 1 Comment »
Filed under: Colombia, Deportes, World Cup 2014 | Tagged: Brazil, Colombia, Greece, World Cup 2014 | 1 Comment »
Para facilitar el desplazamiento de los ciudadanos colombianos residentes en el sur de la Florida al puesto de votación, las urnas electorales van a estar abiertas durante siete días: entre el 19 y el 24 de mayo de 2014.
Los votantes deben tener en cuenta que si van a votar entre el lunes 19 y el sábado 24 de mayo, deben acudir directamente al Consulado General Central de Colombia en Miami, (280 Aragon Ave. Coral Gables, FL 33134), entre las 8 a.m. y las 4 p.m. En la sede consular estarán habilitadas mesas correspondientes a los 7 puestos de votación autorizados en el Sur de la Florida.
Si van a votar el domingo 25 de mayo, los ciudadanos deben acudir directamente al puesto de votación donde están inscritos, entre las 8 a.m. y las 4 p.m.
La cédula de ciudadanía vigente (versión amarilla con holograma) es el único documento válido para votar.
Para verificar el puesto de votación los ciudadanos colombianos pueden ingresar a: http://www.registraduria.gov.co/-Censo-Electoral-.html
Puestos de votación autorizados:
CONSULADO: 280 Aragon Ave. Coral Gables Florida 33134
KENDALL: MIAMI DADE COLLEGE Gymnasium Gibson Center 11011 SW 104 St. Miami, Florida 33176
HIALEAH: MILANDER CENTER FOR ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 4800 Palm Ave. Hialeah Florida, 33012
WESTON: RICK CASE HONDA, 15700 Rick case Way, Davie Florida 33331.
PLANTATION: DIECKE AUDITORIUM, 5701 Cypress Road, Plantation Florida 33317
WEST PALM BEACH: EL BODEGON #4, 4481 Lakeworth Road. Lakeworth FL 33461.
SARASOTA: HILTON GARDEN INN, 8270 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota Florida 34243.
Fuente: Consulado de Colombia – Miami, Florida
Filed under: Colombia, Elecciones 2014, Política | Tagged: Colombia, Consulado de Colombia, Elecciones, Florida, Política | Leave a comment »
La clave ya no está en traer cosas de China sino en exportar productos colombianos. Recomendaciones.
Caldense de pura cepa y con una formación profesional y una trayectoria diplomática impecable, Carmenza Jaramillo llegó a Pekín en diciembre del 2012. Desde ese momento ocupa una de las embajadas más importantes para Colombia, especialmente por las perspectivas al futuro.
A pesar de haber salido hace muchos años de Manizales sigue con su acento casi intacto, que no le han podido quitar su esposo francés ni su hija, con los que habla en francés, inglés y español. Ahora su familia está agregando a su lista el mandarín.
Abogada de la Universidad de los Andes, con especializaciones en derecho administrativo en la Universidad del Rosario y en la Universidad de la Sorbona de París, Carmenza ha sido cónsul en Hong Kong y Miami, embajadora en la India, presidenta de la Cámara de Comercio Colombo Americana en Miami y directora ejecutiva de Proexport en Estados Unidos. EL TIEMPO habló con ella sobre su labor en la embajada, la situación de la China de hoy y las perspectivas de la relación bilateral con el gigante de Asia.
¿Cómo ha sido su experiencia como embajadora de Colombia en China por los últimos 16 meses?
Ha sido una experiencia muy enriquecedora, aunque es un país que está lejos, con una cultura y propensión completamente diferentes a las nuestras. Es el sitio para estar en este momento, porque es ahí donde se está cocinando el mundo.
¿Le ha tocado estar presente en el nuevo quinquenato?
Sí y es bien interesante porque este nuevo quinquenato es el que va a proyectar a China de una manera diferente, donde van a cambiar las exportaciones y la inversión estatal directa por el incremento de un consumo interno, por lo que la clase media, que también ha ido creciendo, va a tener la oportunidad de adquirir productos distintos, lo que le permitirá a nuestros productos ser parte activa en ese proceso de cambio.
¿En el aspecto personal cómo ha sido la experiencia?
Supremamente importante. Vivo en un sitio muy bonito, además se ha ido constituyendo un equipo de trabajo muy bueno, todos estamos identificados con mi objetivo como embajadora que es sembrar la semilla de Colombia en China, que sepan que existimos y que a futuro nosotros tenemos muchas oportunidades para ofrecerles.
Sigue leyendo
Filed under: Colombia, Cultura, Educacion, Turismo | Tagged: Ana maria Jaramillo, Beijing, Carmenza Jaramillo, China, Colombia, El Tiempo, Embajada de Colombia en China, Pekin | Leave a comment »
Gabriel García Márquez nació en Aracataca (Magdalena), el 6 de marzo de 1927. Creció como niño único entre sus abuelos maternos y sus tías, pues sus padres, el telegrafista Gabriel Eligio García y Luisa Santiaga Márquez, se fueron a vivir, cuando Gabriel sólo contaba con cinco años, a la población de Sucre, donde don Gabriel Eligio montó una farmacia y donde tuvieron a la mayoría de sus once hijos.
Los abuelos eran dos personajes bien particulares y marcaron el periplo literario del futuro Nobel: el coronel Nicolás Márquez, veterano de la guerra de los Mil Días, le contaba al pequeño Gabriel infinidad de historias de su juventud y de las guerras civiles del siglo XIX, lo llevaba al circo y al cine, y fue su cordón umbilical con la historia y con la realidad. Doña Tranquilina Iguarán, su cegatona abuela, se la pasaba siempre contando fábulas y leyendas familiares, mientras organizaba la vida de los miembros de la casa de acuerdo con los mensajes que recibía en sueños: ella fue la fuente de la visión mágica, supersticiosa y sobrenatural de la realidad. Entre sus tías la que más lo marcó fue Francisca, quien tejió su propio sudario para dar fin a su vida.
Gabriel García Márquez aprendió a escribir a los cinco años, en el colegio Montessori de Aracataca, con la joven y bella profesora Rosa Elena Fergusson, de quien se enamoró: fue la primera mujer que lo perturbó. Cada vez que se le acercaba, le daban ganas de besarla: le inculcó el gusto de ir a la escuela, sólo por verla, además de la puntualidad y de escribir una cuartilla sin borrador.
Gabriel García Márquez
En ese colegio permaneció hasta 1936, cuando murió el abuelo y tuvo que irse a vivir con sus padres al sabanero y fluvial puerto de Sucre, de donde salió para estudiar interno en el colegio San José, de Barranquilla, donde a la edad de diez años ya escribía versos humorísticos. En 1940, gracias a una beca, ingresó en el internado del Liceo Nacional de Zipaquirá, una experiencia realmente traumática: el frío del internado de la Ciudad de la Sal lo ponía melancólico, triste. Permaneció siempre con un enorme saco de lana, y nunca sacaba las manos por fuera de sus mangas, pues le tenía pánico al frío.
Sin embargo, a las historias, fábulas y leyendas que le contaron sus abuelos, sumó una experiencia vital que años más tarde sería temática de la novela escrita después de recibir el premio Nobel: el recorrido del río Magdalena en barco de vapor. En Zipaquirá tuvo como profesor de literatura, entre 1944 y 1946, a Carlos Julio Calderón Hermida, a quien en 1955, cuando publicó La hojarasca, le obsequió con la siguiente dedicatoria: “A mi profesor Carlos Julio Calderón Hermida, a quien se le metió en la cabeza esa vaina de que yo escribiera”. Ocho meses antes de la entrega del Nobel, en la columna que publicaba en quince periódicos de todo el mundo, García Márquez declaró que Calderón Hermida era “el profesor ideal de Literatura”.
En los años de estudiante en Zipaquirá, Gabriel García Márquez se dedicaba a pintar gatos, burros y rosas, y a hacer caricaturas del rector y demás compañeros de curso. En 1945 escribió unos sonetos y poemas octosílabos inspirados en una novia que tenía: son uno de los pocos intentos del escritor por versificar. En 1946 terminó sus estudios secundarios con magníficas calificaciones.
Filed under: Colombia | Tagged: Amor en los tiempos del colera, Aracataca, Cien años de Soledad, Colombia, El coronel no tiene quien le escriba, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Premio Nobel de Literatura 1982, Realismo Magico, Relato de un naufrago | Leave a comment »
February 25, 2014
“If we want a sustainable peace…we will have to pay a price, which means reconciliation.”
Over the past decade, more than 56,000 former guerrillas and paramilitaries have gone through a process of demobilization in Colombia. As the country continues peace talks with the hopes of ending five decades of armed conflict, the pace of demobilizations grows. Alejandro Eder, director of the Colombian Agency for Reintegration, spoke to AS/COA’s Media Relations Director Adriana La Rotta about Colombia’s experience with disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) and how the government shares best practices with other countries in similar circumstances. “What we have done is to identify different actors who work in peacebuilding, and have an ongoing, aggressive policy of exchanging experiences,” said Eder. What sets the Colombian case apart is that the country’s reintegration process began before the peace talks, he explains. But he also warned that peacebuilding depends on society as a whole. “If we want a sustainable peace…we will have to pay a price, which means reconciliation,” he explained.
AS/COA: We are not used to hearing about Colombia as a country that can give lessons on security or peacebuilding, but that’s exactly what is happening. When did that transformation start?
Alejandro Eder: For the past decade, Colombia has been developing skill sets that have allowed it to turn the tide on the violent situation, and those skills are mainly in the security and peacebuilding sectors. In the past few years, we’ve seen Colombian police officers and Colombian military personnel go to other Latin American countries and even some African countries to share their experience as far as security goes. More recently, in the past five years we’ve started an aggressive South-South technical cooperation strategy through which we share our DDR know-how with other countries that are going through similar processes. And that has been quite effective.
Watch clips from Eder’s February 14 presentation at AS/COA, when he shared his experience on demobilization. Here, he gives a rundown on Colombia’s DDR by the numbers.
Filed under: Colombia | Leave a comment »
The rebels say the eradication of illicit crops is not the way forward
The Farc presented the plan as part of its peace talks with the government.
The guerrilla group, which largely finances itself through drug trafficking, suggested a programme to “regulate the production of coca, poppies and marijuana”.
The rebels said that growers should be enticed “to voluntarily grow alternative crops”.
Instead of fighting the production it’s about regulating it and finding alternatives”
Along with Peru and Bolivia, Colombia is one of the world’s top three producers of coca, the raw material for making cocaine.
It also grows large amounts of marijuana and produces smaller quantities of heroin.
The government has spent millions of dollars trying to eradicate illicit crops – pulling them out by hand, spraying them with herbicides, and encouraging growers to switch to legal alternatives.
According to United Nations figures, Colombia has seen a 25% fall in the area of land planted with coca between 2011 and 2012.
But Farc negotiator Pablo Catatumbo said prohibition and eradication were not the way forward.
‘Legal alternatives’
“Instead of fighting the production [of illicit substances] it’s about regulating it and finding alternatives,” he said.
“The fundamental basis of this plan lies in its voluntary and collaborative nature, and in the political will on the part of the growers to take alternative paths to achieve humane living and working conditions.”
Mr Catatumbo also said that the “medicinal, therapeutical and cultural” uses of the substances should be taken into account.
In Bolivia, the production of coca in small amounts is legal although the production of cocaine remains banned.
Coca leaves have been used for many centuries as a mild stimulant and to counteract the effects of high altitude in the Andes.
Last month another South American nation, Uruguay, voted to legalise the marijuana trade, becoming the first country in the world to do so.
The Farc has been engaged in peace talks with the Colombian government for more than a year.
The two sides have reached tentative agreements on two issues so far – land reform and the eventual political participation of the rebels should a peace treaty be signed.
They are currently holding their 19th round of talks in the Cuban capital, Havana.
Source:BBC News LatinAmerica
Filed under: Colombia, Política, Proceso de Paz | Tagged: BBC, Colombia, drugs, Farc, Government, Peace talks, Proceso de Paz | Leave a comment »
The Embassy of Colombia has the pleasure to invite you to the I Photography Exhibition: China in the Eyes of Colombians.
Place: Jintai Art Museum
Date: Monday, December 23rd
From: 19:00 – 21:30. Program starts at 7:30
Address: West Gate of Chaoyang Park. 北京市朝阳公园1号西门内 金台艺术馆
Join us for an unforgettable evening and share with the winners of the first photography contest organized by th Colombian Embassy.
*Featuring Sabor Latino Band
Filed under: Colombia, Eventos | Tagged: Arts and Entertainment, Carmenza Jaramillo, China, China in the Eyes of the Colombians, Colombia, Colombian Embassy in China, Embajada de Colombia en China, Embajadora Carmenza Jaramillo, Embassy of Colombia in Beijing China, Photography Exhibition | Leave a comment »
El Centro Democrático, que aún no tiene logo, tiene el primer puesto para el Senado.
La Registraduría General de la Nación realizó este jueves los sorteos que definieron la ‘distribución de logos electorales de partidos y movimientos políticos en los #tarjetones’ de Senado (nacional), Cámara de Representantes por Bogotá, Cundinamarca e internacional, y Parlamento Andino. (Vea aquí los tarjetones electorales).
La tarjeta electoral para el Senado de la República quedó definida con el Centro Democrático en la primera posición, lo que produjo aplausos de los uribistas presentes en el Salón Rojo del Hotel Tequendama, donde se llevó a cabo el sorteo.
El Movimiento Mira quedó ubicado en el segundo lugar del tarjetón para la Cámara Alta; el Partido Conservador, en el tercero; el Polo Democrático, cuarto; el Partido Opción Ciudadana, quinto; Cambio Radical, sexto; el Partido Liberal, séptimo; el Partido de ‘la U’, octavo, y la Alianza Verde, en el noveno lugar.
La tarjeta también lleva un espacio dedicado a la circunscripción especial de comunidades indígenas, en la que hay 14 movimientos.
Hay que resaltar que el Centro Democrático aparece sin logo en los tarjetones, pues fue rechazado por el Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE), debido a que en su símbolo aparece el rostro del expresidente Álvaro Uribe.
El registrador delegado para asuntos electorales, Alfonso Portela, explicó que el uso del logo depende de lo que resuelva el CNE frente a los mecanismos jurídicos interpuestos por el uribismo para que se le permita utilizar la imagen de su inspirador y número uno en la lista.
Si se mantiene la determinación de no permitir el uso de un rostro como imagen, esa colectividad deberá reemplazarla o “la Organización Electoral tomará una decisión sobre qué tipo de información va a aparecer en el espacio del logo en el tarjetón”, dijo Portela.
En cuanto a la plancha para la Cámara de Representantes por Bogotá, en primer lugar se ubicará el Partido Opción Ciudadana, seguido por el Polo Democrático, el Centro Democrático, el Movimiento Cien por Ciento por Colombia, el Partido Alianza Verde, el Movimiento Mira, el Partido de ‘la U’, Cambio Radical, el Partido Liberal, la Unión Patriótica y el Partido Conservador.
Hay dos espacios para las comunidades indígenas y afrodescendientes. Además, la elección para Parlamento Andino sigue andando y tiene seis agrupaciones con sus respectivos aspirantes y el voto en blanco.
Redacción Política – El Tiempo
Filed under: Colombia | Leave a comment »
Con el anuncio de Santos y la reelección, las Farc van a querer eternizar la negociación.
Al poner sobre la mesa esta semana su carta más fuerte para la reelección –un acuerdo de paz definitivo con las Farc–, el presidente Juan Manuel Santos dio por hecho que la negociación con esta guerrilla se tomará más tiempo del que esperaba.
Esto, que al principio lo mortificaba, que ha sido punto de tensión en La Habana y cuyo quiebre algunos verán hoy como mero cálculo electoral de Santos, es, frente a la negociación, un acto de realismo.
Si bien ni el Presidente ni el país quieren ni aguantarían negociaciones eternas, en el mundo han sido más escasas las cortas que las largas. Lo demuestra un balance de 25 procesos de paz del español Vicenç Fisas, que por varios años hizo para la ONU el corte de cuentas de los diálogos para terminar conflictos.
Los procesos de paz han pasado por extremos impensables, como el de Armenia-Azerbaiyán, que duró 23 años, y el de India, que fue de 16, y por casos rápidos, de 8 meses, como el de Indonesia. Es el único que ha gastado menos de un año.
El siguiente más corto fue el de Nepal, de un año, pero de ahí en adelante, con excepción del de Senegal, ninguno duró menos de dos.
Similitudes con Guatemala
El de Colombia, como es obvio, ya no fue de meses. Pero hacerlo en un tiempo razonable es el nuevo desafío, ahora que, ante la campaña de reelección de Santos, la segura tentación de las Farc será estirarlo.
En conversaciones informales, delegados de esta guerrilla suelen mencionar la negociación de Guatemala, de seis años –de 1991 a 1996–, como ejemplo de que la paz no puede hacerse a las carreras. Allá la negociación con la Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional pasó por tres presidentes.
La parte buena de la historia es que el proceso de paz nunca se rompió y esta guerrilla firmó la paz con el político de derecha Álvaro Arzú. La mala, que en este mismo gobierno fracasó el referendo sobre los cambios constitucionales que requería el acuerdo. No pocos atribuyen el fracaso a que Arzú no estaba interesado en los acuerdos y no cumplió su promesa de promover el referendo.
Aunque otras negociaciones han ido a la par de campañas presidenciales y legislativas, el parecido nuestro con Guatemala es algo que las Farc no deberían pasar por alto.
Santos, que se la juega por el proceso de paz, es una opción para el siguiente periodo presidencial, pero otros, como el uribista Óscar Iván Zuluaga, con todo y su actual bajo perfil, son una probabilidad.
Aquí es donde entra la opinión pública, a la que hay que convencer con resultados y a la que las Farc suelen ignorar. Y un proceso de paz largo no significa mejor, como bien lo muestra la historia guatemalteca.
MARISOL GÓMEZ GIRALDO
Editora de EL TIEMPO
Twitter: @margogir
Filed under: Colombia, Gobierno, Proceso de Paz | Tagged: #ProcesodePaz, Óscar Iván Zuluaga, Colombia, Cuba, El Tiempo, Farc, Guatemala, Havana, Juan Manuel Santos, ONU, Paz | Leave a comment »
Humberto de la Calle, jefe del equipo negociador del Gobierno en los diálogos con las Farc. Foto Presidencia
Tras un año de diálogos, Humberto de la Calle les dijo a Farc: “no hay espacio para el magnicidio”.
Al cumplirse un año exacto del inicio de los diálogos de paz entre el Gobierno y las Farc, este martes el Ejecutivo hizo un balance positivo de las conversaciones y, de paso, le advirtió a la guerrilla que en medio del diálogo no se admitirán atentados personales.
La advertencia la lanzó Humberto de la Calle, jefe del equipo negociador del Gobierno, quien aseguró que “no hay espacio para el magnicidio ni para el atentado personal; eso tiene que quedar claro”.
“Creemos que la oportunidad de terminar el conflicto es aquí y ahora. Los colombianos lo entienden bien. Esperamos que las Farc compartan este anhelo, que estén dispuestas a renunciar definitivamente al uso de la violencia”, añadió.
De la Calle precisó además que estamos “en un proceso serio y bien encaminado, construido sobre bases sólidas y realistas”, y reiteró que la negociación es por la paz y no para entregarle el Estado a la insurgencia.
“No les estamos entregando el país a la guerrilla. Estamos buscando acuerdos que respeten la Constitución, para terminar la guerra e iniciar la construcción de la paz”, precisó el jefe del equipo negociador del Gobierno.
En este balance, el Ejecutivo aseguró que durante este año se han sostenido 16 ciclos de conversaciones, que en suman alrededor de 176 días de diálogos directos con la guerrilla.
De la Calle también aclaró que el Gobierno es “celoso” de que se respeten “los puntos pactados” para negociar, por lo que insistió en que no se modificará la agenda del diálogo.
Aunque hay expectativa por conocer el reemplazo de Luis Carlos Villegas en la mesa de diálogo, ya que asumió como Embajador de Colombia en Estados Unidos, De la Calle no reveló ese nombre. No obstante, se cree que sería Nigeria Rentería, alta consejera para los temas de mujer.
Fuente: REDACCIÓN POLÍTICA – El Tiempo
Filed under: Colombia, Política, Proceso de Paz | Tagged: #ProcesodePaz, Colombia, El Pais, El Tiempo, Farc, Gobierno, Guerrilla warfare, Humberto De la Calle, La Violencia, Presidencia de la Republica de Colombia | Leave a comment »
(CNN) — The stories coming out of the Philippines are unimaginable. Rushing water and wind tearing children away from their parents’ arms. A death toll that may reach 10,000. A city of 200,000 in which no buildings appear to have survived intact.
One of the most intense typhoons on record, Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) left catastrophic destruction behind.
If you’re looking for someone missing in the Philippines, or if you have information about someone there, Google.org has launched the Typhoon Yolanda Person Finder. A Google crisis map has also been added to detail evacuation centers and areas designated for relief.
Charities and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from around the world are responding to this disaster. Many are detailed below with how they’re providing aid and how you can help them make a difference.
Emergency support
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has deployed rescue and relief teams to evaluate the damage in the areas devastated by Typhoon Haiyan. You can donate to the Philippine Red Cross by selecting the Supertyphoon Yolanda campaign on their donation page. TheInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRC) and Red Cross networks from around the world are supporting the Philippine Red Cross. Many have created specific funds for this disaster, including the American Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross and the British Red Cross.
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is working with local authorities, the Filipino Jewish community and their global partners to assist in providing for survivors’ immediate needs. You can support their efforts online or by phone at 1-212-687-6200.
CARE‘s emergency response teams are coordinating with local partners in the Philippines to provide food, water, shelter and health care for those in need. Their teams in Vietnam are preparing for the potential need there as Typhoon Haiyan continues its devastation. You can support CARE’s efforts on their website, or by phone at 1-800-521-2273 within the United States or +1-404-681-2252 outside the U.S.
Catholic Relief Services, the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the U.S., is on the ground helping with water purification, shelter materials and essential living supplies. You can donate to the organization’s efforts online or you can call 1-877-435-7277. You can also type in your phone number on the website and a representative will call you back to take your donation.
Convoy of Hope‘s Global Disaster Response Team has shipping containers full of food and supplies on the way to the Philippines. The organization is preparing more supplies to be sent like canned goods, hygiene kits and water filtration units. You can visit Convoy of Hope’s website to donate funds to their efforts or call 1-417-823-8998.
Mercy Corps is preparing to deliver food, water, temporary shelter and other basic supplies to devastated areas throughout the Philippines. You can support the organization by donating through their website, PayPal, or by calling 1-888-747-7440.
Oxfam America aid teams are on the ground in northern Cebu, northern and eastern Samar and Leyte, in the Eastern Visayas region in the Philippines. They’re working to provide immediate access to water and sanitation materials. You can support this effort by donating online to their Typhoon Haiyan Relief and Recovery Fund, or by phone at 1-800-776-9326.
Adventist Development and Relief Agency‘s (ADRA) emergency response team is working in Manila and in the province of Bohol to provide food, emergency relief and medical aid to those in need. They have launched an emergency appeal that you can supportonline or by phone at 1-800-424-2372.
Food and water
The World Food Programme was already providing emergency food assistance in the Philippines following the October earthquake. With these emergency food stocks stretched thin, they’re now mobilizing additional supplies and are flying in 40 tons of fortified biscuits in the coming days. Additional food supplies are needed. You can help these efforts by donating online or by calling 1-202-747-0722 domestically or +39-06-65131 for international calls.
Samaritan’s Purse has sent disaster relief specialists, including water and nutrition experts, to the Philippines to deliver immediate aid. They have launched the Philippines Emergency Relief fund for this disaster, which you can support online or by phone at 1-828-262-1980.
World Vision is responding in the Philippines by first providing emergency food and clean water. They will also work to create child-friendly spaces and help families rebuild from this disaster. They have launched a Philippines Disaster Response Fund that you can support online or by calling 1-888-511-6443.
Action Against Hunger is on the ground providing drinking water and survival kits containing buckets, soap and chlorine tablets. They’re also working to distribute sanitation equipment to prevent outbreaks of waterborne diseases. They’re requesting assistance and you can help by donating online or by calling 1-877-777-1420.
Shelter
ShelterBox was already in the Philippines providing shelter after the 7.2 earthquake that hit Bohol on October 15. They are now expanding their operations to provide tents and essential equipment for families left homeless after Typhoon Haiyan. You can support their work in the Philippines either online or by calling 1-941-907-6036.
Habitat for Humanity is already providing help to 30,000 families with shelter repair kits to rebuild their damaged homes. You can support this work by donating from the Philippines to their Re-Build Philippines Fund or from the U.S. by contributing to their Disaster Response Fund. You can also make a donation by phone at 1-800-HABITAT.
Architecture for Humanity is mobilizing to assist with post-disaster reconstruction and the organization’s working with local architects to identify the most critical rebuilding needs. You can support their Super Typhoon Haiyan Response online, by calling 1-415-963-3511 or by texting REBUILD to 85944 to make a $10 donation from your mobile phone.
Medical assistance
Americares has an emergency shipment on the way to the Philippines with enough medical aid for 20,000 survivors, including antibiotics, wound care supplies and pain relievers. You can support Americares with an online donation or by calling 1-800-486-4357.
International Medical Corps has pre-positioned medical supplies and their team is on the ground coordinating with their partners in the Philippines to distribute and provide medical aid. You can support their Typhoon Haiyan Emergency Response fund online or by calling 1-800-481-4462.
More than 1.5 tons of emergency medicine and medical supplies are en route to the Philippines from Direct Relief. The supplies include antibiotics, pain relievers, nutritional supplements, antifungal medications, wound dressings and chronic disease medicines. You can call in your donation by dialing 1-805-964-4767 or you can goonline to support the organization.
Helping children
The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is helping children and their families in the Philippines receive shelter, clean water, nutrition and vaccines. Their emergency response can be supported online or by calling 1-800-367-5437. You can also donate directly to UNICEF in the Philippines here.
Save the Children is offering disaster relief support for children in the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam after Typhoon Haiyan. You can support their Philippines Annual Monsoon and Typhoon Children in Emergency Fund online. You can also donate by phone at 1-800-728-3843.
Emergency response teams from ChildFund Internationalprepositioned supplies, including emergency kits and tents, and made arrangements with local suppliers to access food and non-food relief supplies. The organization is also preparing to setup child- centered spaces where kids can feel safe. Donate to ChildFund online to help children cope and recover confidence after this disaster.
Teams from Plan are also on the ground responding to the needs of children and their families. Their priorities are vulnerable youngsters and communities in rural locations. You can support their appeal on their website.
Filed under: Colombia | Tagged: 2001 Pacific typhoon season, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, CNN, CNN Impact your world, Convoy of Hope, Google People Finder, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Philippine, Philippine Red Cross, Typhoon Haiyan, United States | Leave a comment »
Este miércoles en La Habana se lograron cinco acuerdos concretos sobre el punto 2 de la negociación: poner en marcha un sistema integral de seguridad para el ejercicio de la política, desarrollar un mecanismo por medio del cual se expida un Estatuto para la Oposición, impulsar normas que garanticen la participación, crear una Misión Electoral de expertos, y crear Circunscripciones Transitorias Especiales de Paz en la Cámara de Representantes para los territorios que más han sufrido la violencia.
“No tengamos MIEDO, compatriotas. El miedo nos encadena al pasado.“
Fuente: Presidencia de la República de Colombia – SIG
Filed under: Colombia, Política, Proceso de Paz | Tagged: #ProcesodePaz, Colombia, Cuba, Discurso Juan Manuel Santos, Farc, Havana, Humberto De la Calle, Ivan Marquez, Juan Manuel Santos, Mexico, Partidos Politicos en Colombia | Leave a comment »
Forget Rio: Colombia is the hottest new South American destination, offering secluded white sandy beaches, colonial architecture and amazing nightlife. It’s also one of the most progressive countries south of the border, with same-sex couples beginning to tie the knot in September 2013.
For a taste of what Colombia truly has to offer, we’ve mapped out a 12-day itinerary that hops from Cartagena to Medellin and on to Santa Marta.
Grupo Maximo Agency is a one-stop shop for everything Colombia and specifically Cartagena. Spend a day touring the Old City or if you are the adventurous type, contact Cartagena Divers for some excellent scuba diving out at sea. Jump on a boat and zip out to Baru Island for the day if you’re searching for white sands and aquamarine, Caribbean waters.
Don’t miss a drive up to La Popa Monastery for a bird’s eye view of all of Cartagena. In the walled Old City, stroll through the shops and cafes as you make your way to Plaza Santa Domingo, easily found by locating the reclining female Botero sculpture in the southern corner. Need VIP access to the hottest clubs in town? Grupo Maximo Agency can hook you up with live music at Club Havana or easy access to one of the many discotheques in town like Cinema on Calle Arsenal or Studio 54 on Calle Larga.
For the fashion set, Tcherassi Hotel + Spa offers a sleek interior off the bustling streets of the Old City of Cartagena. The style of Silvia Tcherassi (the hotel’s Miami-based owner and famous Latin American fashion designer) touches each corner of this gem. Stop by for dinner or a drink but if you can, try to spend a few nights. Escape the tropical humidity on the roof where you’ll find a small pool that’s perfect for a cool dip. The rooms are large with vaulted ceilings and the bathrooms feature walk-in glass showers with fantastic rainfall shower heads.
Casa La Fe is ideally located on Plaza Fernandez de Madrid in the heart of Cartagena, offering a calm and relaxed atmosphere but with the convenience of the town’s antiquities and restaurants on the doorstep. The building dates from the Republican era and was restored to its former elegance by the current owners in 2005.
For the best roof pool in Cartagena, go straight to La Passion. Spend the afternoon lounging on poolside daybeds while sipping piña coladas as sounds of classical piano trickle over the walls from the ballet school next door. Few hotels have such character as La Passion, not to mention such an incredibly friendly staff and a rooftop breakfast to set your day on the right path.
Built within the walls of a former 17th century mansion, Casa Pestagua is a work of art. The third floor “penthouse” is a luxurious retreat and features a private roof Jacuzzi with ocean views of the sunset. If you are looking for a great honeymoon, it doesn’t get more romantic than this. The suite itself is massive with 20-foot exposed beam ceilings. The bathroom is draped in white marble with a walk-in shower recessed into the floor that takes up an entire side of the room. Stand under a deluge of water and feel like a Roman emperor.
If the city heat gets to you, book a few nights atKarmairi Hotel Spa which is a 20 minutes drive east of the old town. Enjoy the luxuries of being on your own private beach, right outside the city. This boutique hotel features an open air restaurant that spills out to a wide beach. Recline at the pool before your spa treatment amongst the palm trees then dine at night under the stars with the ocean lapping upon the shore. Karmairi is the perfect escape from the Cartagena scene for a couple of nights. Nothing beats a morning jog along miles of empty beach.
Medellin or “The City of Eternal Spring” sits amongst the Andes in a valley surrounded by peaks. Graced with a temperate climate, the city is a wonderful change from the humidity of the coast. Once plagued with crime, Medellin has experienced a renaissance of sorts in recent years and the world is starting to notice. In March of 2013 the city was named the most “Innovative City of the Year” in the Wall Street Journal, beating out both New York City and Tel Aviv. Don’t miss a stroll around Botero Plaza downtown or a vernacular ride up to Parque Arvi. The city’s Metro (or subway system) is clean, convenient and easy to use.
Nestled on a hillside in the fashionable neighborhood of Poblado, The Charlee Lifestyle Hotel feels like a touch of New York chic in the heart of the Andes. Rooms feature sliding glass walls that open up to huge balconies overlooking the entire city of Medellin. The hotel’s gym takes over the top two floors and membership is free for hotel guests. Check out the scene at the gym around 6p daily for a glance into the world of Medellin’s famed beautiful women and men. At night, the rooftop turns into the club Envy, one of many all night parties in the neighborhood.
A few blocks from The Charlee is Art Hotel, also in Poblado. With a dark lobby splashed with vibrant furniture and artwork, this industrial space boasts a stunning décor with a fabulous wine bar and a spa. Being steps from the nightlife and restaurants of Poblado make Art Hotel an excellent option for a few nights in Medellin.
For an evening of fine dining, reserve a table at El Cielo, just a couple blocks from The Charlee Hotel. In an elegant, intimate atmosphere experience the full “quince momentos” menu… 15 Moments that you will be talking about for weeks. This is experiential dining at its best, with each sense teased through dinner starting with the rose scented hand “clay” at the beginning of the meal to the martinis that bubble in a haze of liquid nitrogen fog and the crackle of the explosive dessert.
Aside from nightlife and dining, do not leave Medellin without exploring the nature that surrounds the city. Burrotek Tours leads day trips into the mountains on horseback as well as trips outside of the city limits to nearby Guatape.
After a couple of hours on a horse, lunch is served overlooking the city and if you’re lucky, it will be homemade pork and chicken tamales!
Santa Marta is South America’s oldest surviving city and the second most important colonial city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, after Cartagena. The seaside town offers fabulous restaurants, historic plazas and tons of bars and cafes. Though the actual beach in town is not fantastic, Santa Marta is a great jumping off point to reach the famed beaches within Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona as well as Ciudad Perdida (The Lost City). Right in the heart of Santa Marta there are several high-end boutique hotels that we highly recommend.
Casa Isabella is a stone’s throw from Parque de los Novios in the center of the Old City of Santa Marta. If you are lucky enough to book the penthouse you’ll enjoy a private roof jacuzzi that is spectacular. Rooms include wifi, complimentary iPads and Apple TV as well as restored furniture and handmade adornments. Breakfast is served outside, one floor up on an outdoor shaded deck. The staff is warm and friendly and hugely helpful in setting up any plans around town.
Casa de Leda is located closer to the shopping district and feels like an oasis in the heart of Santa Marta. The roof features open air dining and the huge, modern rooms feature vaulted ceilings, tons of natural light and all the amenities of a luxury resort. First owned by a wealthy family of Santa Marta’s golden age, the original house where Casa de Leda sits dates back to the late 19th century. Escape the humid Caribbean air inside the hotel where the walls are lined with cascades of green vines and equipped with a cooling mist system. Historic Santa Marta Cathedral is steps from the hotel’s entrance. Flat screen TVs in every room have media players with music stations and video libraries.
Casa Verde is a small boutique accommodation that was originally built in the 1920s. It has recently been fully restored into a five-room hotel close to the vibrant downtown area that is the home to beautiful parks, restaurants and historic buildings. Inside the walls of Casa Verde there is a peaceful silence while right outside its walls are the bustling streets of Santa Marta.
There are several great options to dine in Santa Marta. On the edge of Parque de los Novios, try Ouzo for what many say is the best dinner in town. Try the grilled octopus appetizer, a favorite on the menu, or one of the thin crust pizzas cooked in the central brick oven. For lunch, hit Agave Azul for incredibly Mexican food. Order a fresh mango margarita and a steak taco that will knock your socks off!
A quick 45 minute taxi ride east from Santa Marta and you will find yourself outside one of the main entrances of Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona. Book a couple nights at Villa Maria for a room overlooking the mountains to the southwest and the ocean to the northeast. Walk through the hotel’s garden where the owners grow pineapples, avocados, oranges and bananas. If you cross the street and walk down a path through some palm trees you’ll find yourself on miles of untouched white sand. Be careful in the surf as these beaches are known to be quite treacherous at certain times of year. But definitely enjoy the solitude. For a $35 (US) entrance fee, spend a day inside Tayrona Park. By horseback you can reach secluded beaches that are only accessible by foot or horse path. Be warned that the trails are somewhat rocky so if you are not an experienced rider, consider walking.
Source: NewNowNext
Filed under: Colombia, Turismo | Tagged: @BrandColombia, @colombiatravels, @colombia_travel, @jrnytocolombia, @marcacolombia, @proexportcol, Agave Azul, armairi Hotel Spa, Bogota, Cali, Calle Larga, Cartagena, Cartagena Divers, Casa de Leda, Casa Isabella, Casa La Fe, Casa Pestagua, Casa Verde, Colombia, Grupo Maximo Agency, La Passion, Medellin, Ouzo, Santa Marta, Silvia Tcherassi, South America, The Charlee Lifestyle Hotel, Tourism, travel, Turismo | Leave a comment »
Los indignados colombianos dicen que llegó el momento de que las partes concreten la paz.
En momentos en que el país espera resultados concretos en las negociaciones de paz entre el Gobierno y las Farc, que el próximo 19 de noviembre cumplen un año de haberse iniciado, este jueves se conoció una carta dirigida a los negociadores de las partes en la que los indignados colombianos les solicitan que analicen la posibilidad de establecer un cese definitivo al fuego.
Los firmantes se agruparon bajo el nombre de Partido del Tomate con el fin de abrirse espacio en la política, y en la comunicación dicen, entre otras cosas: “Proponemos a la mesa que se planifiquen y ejecuten pequeñas pero significativas acciones conjuntas para beneficiar a esta Colombia rural que tantas necesidades tiene”.
La intención de este colectivo es que la mesa de diálogo pueda tomar un nuevo rumbo y que en el próximo ciclo, que comienza a finales de octubre, se puedan ver resultados concretos.
Los indignados indicaron que los avances se deben “acompañar con gestos y muestras de paz, como el cese bilateral definitivo de las hostilidades”. Y agregaron: “estamos seguros que el diálogo y la reconciliación son la vía para alcanzar la paz duradera y real, que ustedes tienen en sus manos”.
La carta les fue enviada directamente a los negociadores de ambas partes en la mesa de diálogo de La Habana (Cuba) y, además, la hicieron circular en su Twitter (@tomatepartido).
REDACCIÓN POLÍTICA
Filed under: Colombia, Proceso de Paz | Tagged: Colombia, Cuba, Farc, Gobierno, Habana, Indignados, Partido del Tomate, Proceso de Paz | Leave a comment »
Jorge Rojas, jugador paraguayo, celebra el gol junto a su equipo. Foto AFP
El 1-0 lo había puesto Jorge Rojas con un remate y error de Ospina. Guarín, expulsado.
A los 8 minutos del primer tiempo Jorge Rojas, con un remate de derecha que primero hizo una especie de carambola entre las piernas de Yepes, puso el primero para Paraguay.
Rojas ya había avisado con un disparo previo y frontal al arco que había pasado rozando el palo de David Ospina.
En la acción de gol, el arquero colombiano midió mal y vio cómo el balón se le pasó por debajo de las manos en un remate que se veía sencillo de controlar.
El primer remate de Colombia salió de la zurda de James Rodríguez, que pasó cerca del arco custodiado por Justo Villar.
El control del partido en los primeros 15 minutos fue para Paraguay. Después Colombia consiguió nivelar un poco las cargas.
Al minuto 29 otro remate de Paraguay evidencia la fragilidad en la zona de recuperación de Colombia.
La mejor opción de Colombia nació de un centro de James Rodríguez que impactó Jakcson Martínez con la cabeza y pasó cerca del palo izquierdo paraguayo.
Al minuto 32 Fredy Guarín se ganó su segunda amarilla, merecida, que le valió la expulsión. En otra entrada previa a destiempo y sin medir la fuerza, el 13 de Colombia ya había sido tarjeteado por el juez argentino Diego Abal.
Pero el gol de Colombia llegó. Un centro desde la zona izquierda de James Rodríguez, con pelota quieta, llegó hasta la zona central del área donde estaba esperando Yepes para poner el empate.
Colombia busca ganar para ser cabeza de serie
Con la tranquilidad del cupo al Mundial, ahora Colombia se traza el reto de llegar entre los mejores 8.
Luego de la remontada histórica conseguida ante Chile el pasado viernes en Barranquilla, la selección Colombia le apunta hoy a mantenerse entre los primeros ocho del escalafón de la Fifa.
Actualmente la selección de Jose Néstor Pékerman ocupa el quinto puesto en esa lista y con el objetivo de mantenerse entre los primeros saldrá a la cancha a las 6:30 de la tarde para conseguirlo.
De lograrlo, Colombia encabezaría uno de los 8 grupos en la Copa del Mundo de Brasil que comienza el 13 de junio del próximo año.
Formaciones:
Paraguay:
Villar, Bonet, Gómez, Da Silva, Cándia; Aquino, Oviedo, Romero, Rojas; Núñez, Santa Cruz. DT: Víctor Genes.
Colombia:
Ospina; Arias, Zapata, Yepes, Armero; Sánchez, Guarín, James, Macnelly; Jackson y Bacca. DT: José Néstor Pekerman.
Fuente: El Tiempo
Filed under: Colombia, Deportes | Tagged: Chile, Colombia, David Ospina, El Tiempo, Fredy Guarín, James Rodríguez, José Pekerman, Justo Villar, Mario Alberto Yepes, paraguay, Selección Colombia | Leave a comment »
La Embajada de la República de Colombia y el Instituto Cervantes de Pekín, tienen el gusto de invitarle a la inauguración del IX Ciclo de Cine Colombiano, que se realizará el viernes 11 de Octubre a las 18:00 hrs.
La primera película que se proyectará será la comedia “El Paseo 2” del reconocido director Harold Trompetero.
Filed under: Art, Colombia | Tagged: Beijing, Cancilleria de Colombia, Cine, Colombia, El Paseo 2, Embajada de Colombia en China, Embajadora Carmenza Jaramillo, Harold Trompetero, Instituto de Cervantes, IX Ciclo de Cine Colombiano, Pekin | Leave a comment »
El Gobierno respondió este jueves a la carta leíada por alias ‘Timochenko’.
Foto: AFP Y ARCHIVO PARTICULAR
El jefe negociador del Gobierno en La Habana, Humberto de la Calle, respondió este jueves a la dura carta que envió ‘Timochenko’ al presidente Juan Manuel Santos en la que dijo que revelará “la verdad” sobre el proceso de paz. (Lea sobre la carta del jefe máximo de las Farc)
De la Calle afirmó que la “reacción de las Farc es francamente incomprensible” y recordó a la guerrilla que, desde el principio, hay un acuerdo de confidencialidad entre las partes. “Para el Gobierno la supuesta revelación no constituye ni puede constituir una amenaza”, señaló De la Calle.
El jefe negociador del Gobierno agregó en una rueda de prensa, citada en el norte de Bogotá, que “lo que les molesta a las Farc es que el Gobierno sigue fiel a la agenda y no se desviará”.
Recordó, además, que “el mayor seguro para la ciudadanía es que cualquier acuerdo al que se llegue debe ser refrendado por los colombianos”.
Ayer miércoles, el jefe máximo de las Farc, Timoleón Jiménez, alias ‘Timochenko’, dio a conocer una carta dirigida a Santos en la que le reclama “imposiciones unilaterales” del Gobierno en la mesa de paz de La Habana.
“Pese a sus manifestaciones de encontrar una salida política, Santos, alucinado, confía en doblegarnos con gruñidos. Estamos muy viejos para eso. La clave está en consensuar, en cambiar para bien esa actitud arrogante y mezquina”, señaló el jefe de las Farc.
Timochenko’ menciona como imposiciones el Marco Jurídico para la Paz y el proyecto de referendo que hace curso en el Congreso para que los colombianos se pronuncien sobre eventuales acuerdos con esa guerrilla en un día electoral del 2014, y sostiene que cada cosa que dice su delegación en La Habana para el gobierno no merece ser discutida.
Afirma que “cada gesto de reconciliación” de las Farc es asumido por el presidente Santos como producto de una derrota militar.
El máximo jefe de las Farc remata su carta a Santos anunciando un informe de sus delegados en La Habana a Colombia y el mundo, sobre lo que está ocurriendo en La Habana: “Ante tan grande ofensiva discursiva y mediática contra nosotros y lo que sucede en la Mesa, con el exclusivo propósito de que el país y el mundo conozcan en verdad lo que ocurre, he decidido autorizar a nuestros voceros en La Habana la elaboración de un informe al pueblo colombiano. Tenemos una gran responsabilidad ante él, y tanta retórica hace daño, Santos”.
REDACCIÓN ELTIEMPO.COM
Filed under: Colombia, Proceso de Paz | Tagged: Calle, Colombia, Farc, Havana, Humberto De la Calle, Juan Manuel Santos, La Habana, Timoleón Jiménez | Leave a comment »
Juan Manuel Santos Calderon, President of the Republic of Colombia, addresses the 68th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, September 24, 2013.
Credit: Reuters/Brendan McDermid
By Daniel Trotta
UNITED NATIONS | Tue Sep 24, 2013 3:25pm EDT
(Reuters) – The “war on drugs” has not been won, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos told the United Nations on Tuesday, exhorting the world body to add teeth to a special session on drugs in 2016.
“Right here, in this same headquarters, 52 years ago, the convention that gave birth to the war on drugs was approved. Today, we must acknowledge, that war has not been won,” Santos told world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, referring to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961.
“And I say this as the president of the country that has suffered more deaths, more bloodshed and more sacrifices in this war, and the country that has also achieved more results in the fight against this scourge and the mafias that underpin it.”
Colombia is the world’s largest exporter of illegal cocaine, despite an intense crackdown on guerrilla armies that have intertwined themselves with drug cartels.
Armed conflict in Colombia has killed more than 220,000 people in the past 50 years, Santos said.
He challenged Colombian guerrillas who have joined forces with drug traffickers to respond to his government’s overtures to end the armed conflict through dialogue and said failure would condemn his South American country to many more years of bloodshed and pain.
Santos made similar statements about the failure of international cooperation to fight drug trafficking last year at the Summit of the Americas, when the Organization of American States was commissioned to study new approaches to combating illegal narcotics.
The studies were delivered in May, Santos said, proposing that the United Nations give them serious consideration in time for a so-called Special Session on Drugs in 2016, proposed by Mexico and accepted by the world body.
Last month, Santos said he was ready to start peace talks with the smaller of Colombia’s two leftist rebel groups, the National Liberation Army (ELN), to try to end half a century of war.
His government last year opened peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and though the talks have been turbulent at times and progressed slowly, neither side has walked out.
Without naming the rebel groups, Santos also called on the FARC and the ELN to seize what he termed a historic moment.
“The guerrillas will have to decide whether they opt for an honorable and long-lasting peace, or whether they will insist on the war,” Santos said.
“The time for decisions has come. If we come out empty-handed, we will condemn our nation to many more years of bloodshed and pain” he said. We can’t miss this opportunity. Future generations and history would not forgive us.”
Reporting by Daniel Trotta; editing by Christopher Wilson)
Filed under: Colombia, Política, Proceso de Paz | Tagged: 68th United Nations General Assembly, Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, New York, Nueva York, ONU, UNGA, United Nations | Leave a comment »
El Presidente de #Colombia Juan Manuel Santos habla en la 68a. Sesión de la Asamblea en Nueva York hoy 24 en la mañana
(Septiembre 24 – Octubre 1o.) en vivo y en directo
Filed under: Colombia | Tagged: 68 Assembly General United Nations, Ban Ki Moon, Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, New York, Nueva York, Paz, Santos, UN Webcast, UNGA, United Nations | Leave a comment »
Programacion y Fechas
El nutrido y variado cronograma de actividades de la exposición se diseña pensando en que el expositor no se pierda ninguna actividad social, atendiendo sus compromisos, contactos, citas y ruedas de negocio. Hemos anticipado los contactos para que adicional al público en general que visita la expo, se realicen reuniones planificadas de forma directa y en un ambiente propicio para negociaciones, para que se presenten encuentros con empresarios, instituciones y organizaciones interesadas en realizar negocios, desarrollar relaciones asociativas o alianzas estratégica.
JUEVES: 19 Rueda de negocios. Citas y visitas programadas.
VIERNES 20: Puesta a punto de la exposición. Apertura. Citas y ruedas de negocio. A las 2PM abierta al público en general. 7 PM coctel de inauguración con la presencia de invitados especiales y personalidades invitadas en representación de entidades gubernamentales, del sector privado y de los medios de comunicación.
SÁBADO 21: 10 AM Apertura para continuar con la exhibición, ruedas y citas de negocios, charlas y conferencias. 8PM Primera pasarela de diseñadores y expositores participantes.
DOMINGO 22: 11 AM Apertura último día de exhibición. 12 M Pasarela Infantil. Las mejores creaciones para niños y niñas. 5 PM Cierre de la Expo!
– See more at:
Filed under: Colombia | Tagged: Arte, Artesanias, Belleza, Bienes Raices, Colombia, Colombia Trade Expo, Decoracion, Educacion, Finanzas, Hogar, Joyeria & Accesorios, Logistica, Miami Airport Convention Center, Moda, Salud, Tecnologia, Turismo | Leave a comment »
By: Patricia Rey Mallen
Nicaragua cannot catch a break. After bringing a conflict with Colombia to the United Nations and having a tiff with Costa Rica over a border town, Panama announced on Thursday it had a bone to pick with its northern neighbor: President Ricardo Martinelli said Panama would be joining Colombia in its dispute with Nicaragua over territorial waters.
Martinelli accused his Nicaraguan counterpart, Daniel Ortega, of attempting to appropriate an area of the Caribbean Sea that rightly belongs to Panama. On a government website, he said Ortega had “expansionist delusions” and that he was appropriating maritime sections that belonged to his country and others, such as Colombia, Costa Rica and Jamaica.
“We are going to fight this as a block and individually,” Martinelli said. He explained that the four countries have alerted U.S. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon about Managua’s “hostile attitude.”
Ortega denied the accusation and said that Nicaragua has never taken anything that did not strictly belong to the country. “The [international] law should be the way to solve it,” he said on a government website. “Else we’re going back to being cavemen.”
US Maritime Industry Banking On The Panama Canal Expansion?
Panama Warns Canal Users: Don’t Pull A North Korea
The recent conflict with Panama is a direct result of a dispute between Nicaragua and Colombia over regional seas delimitation, which got settled by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, late last year.
The resolution was favorable to Managua, but Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos responded that the decision was against the Colombian Constitution and it should be re-evaluated. In return, Ortega replied that any negotiation with Colombia would focus on how to best implement the verdict of The Hague. Costa Rica, Jamaica and Panama then rose to the defense of Colombia.
Source: International Business Times
Filed under: Colombia, Política | Tagged: CIJ, Colombia, Costa Rica, Jamaica, La Haya, Nicaragua, Ortega, Panama, Panama Canal, President Ricardo Martinelli | Leave a comment »
When Philip Sheldon* was told by his Toronto doctor that he was on a six-month’s waiting list for cataract surgery, this retired executive had the foresight to call his son-in-law in Bogotá to see what could be done. Despite comprehensive medical coverage in his native Canada, Sheldon wanted to speed up a condition that was getting worse by the month and was affecting the possibility of getting his driving license renewed.
After making some phone calls to some of the best ophthalmologists in Bogotá, Sheldon decided that the investment of buying a plane ticket to Colombia, spending days with family and recovering in an apartment in the capital, more than paid for itself as compared to six months of anguish, waiting for his government to define the place and time of his surgery.
Sheldon’s medical condition was not life-threatening and the surgery was performed in under two hours. As a foreigner with limited language skills, his surgeon spoke impeccable English, having done part of his medical studies at Moorsfields in London.
Sheldon is one of thousands of foreigners who come to Colombia to be treated with outpatient procedures and in state of the art facilities.
From eye surgery to dentistry, fertility and reproductive treatment, Colombia ranks with 16 of the best 40 hospitals in the Latin America, according to recent report by the economic journal, America Economia.
Filed under: Colombia, Turismo | Tagged: Colombia, Health, Medical, Medical Tourism, Medicine, Surgery, Tourism, travel, Turismo de Salud | Leave a comment »