DaveS comments on Scary news story about kidnapping
Sorry, but the guy did sort of ask for it No, nobody should be kidnapped just because they are bragging about having money, but come on, you don't do that in Colombia. Tone posted the article stating the man was in a brothel (what a stupid "pretty" word for whorehouse), but I read another article by the AP which stated the guy was in SEVERAL whorehouses and SEVERAL bars telling the whole world he was rich and looking to buy a hotel. He must have had some money as the article stated he was spending a lot.
If he did this in a "red-light" district in a U.S. city or even in his own country of Italy it would arouse the creative side of those less fortunate and could easily end with the same result, just different acronyms for the kidnappers. Why would some idiot do that in Colombia where 20% are "Haves" and 80% are "Have-nots"? It was just a bonehead move that he paid the ultimate price for. I want to know what his Colombian wife was doing while he was out whoring. the article stated he came with his wife and 2 children.
The only thing that caught me off guard about this was the fact the kidnappers were paras, as Girardot isn't really known to have much of those, or FARC, around. The city is somewhat more sheltered from these groups (atleast on the surface) than other places due to having a major army base in between Girardot and Melgar. The army base hosts many American blackhawk helicopters and several American troops (mainly mechanics and SAR personnel) as well.
Someone said it was surprising that this happened in Girardot, why? Girardot is small compared to Bogota, but still has around 130,000 people so it's not Po-dunkville, Kentucky. Shit happens in any 100,000+ city, anywhere in the world (well, except here in Japan, this is truly one safe place). To act the way he did was just stupid. Even acting like that around "proper" folk could tempt some of them into being one-time kidnappers. The "gated communities" are few in Girardot and people still need to get out of the house, so you can't expect to be sheltered. Also, most people living in those communities (besides the weekend-renting visitors) are narcos or corrupt government folks. Not exactly a place I would feel safe just because it's a "gated" community.
A friend of my wife's family is a pretty good all-around fix-it guy with anything mechanical. One year ago he was asked by someone at El Penon to fix their jet-ski. He spent a few hours fixing it and was expecting to get paid, as promised. He went to the door and told the housekeeper (well, not housekeeper, it was a guy who watched the house and who knows what else) he would come back the next day when the owner was home. He was flatly told don't bother coming back. He wouldn't be paid anything and if he made a fuss of it he wouldn't leave El Penon. There's a sizeable lake there, I wonder how many bodies are in it. My point is gated communities aren't any safer than El Centro.
As I've posted before, my wife is from Girardot. She's been home with her folks the past few weeks and I'll be there from the end of March through April (with a week in San Andres). I asked her if she knew of this and she did and said basically the same thing, bonehead move. It doesn't raise any fear of myself going there. I'm not an ass proclaiming all within hearing distance how much money I bring for the local folk to take from me.
The last time I was there, for 1 1/2 months, the following things happened that I knew about, including one I witnessed.
local (well, Melgar) girls were busted for using El Penon (gated community in Girardot) as a brothel. They were servicing local Colombian and U.S. troops and somebody videotaped some sessions. All over the local news. This isn't a murder or anything, just a reminder that it's normal activity just like any other place.
2 taxistas were shot in the head at night, 2 nights in a row.
Some banker's son was almost assassinated (I saw this). The kid was walking by some stores and 2 guys on motorbikes, sporting them little machine guns, rode right down the middle of the street in broad daylight and tried to shoot him. Some lady across the street saw them coming up and she just screamed and EVERYBODY dove in to open doorways, including the kid (and my gringo ass). They didn't miss him by much. My wife later explained to me the gossip was that some bad folks, not FARC or paras, had been pressuring the kid's family for money.
When these things happened, it kind of freaked me out for a couple of days, but then I realized it's no different than any other sizeable city. My wife told me just 2 days ago that lately, in Bogota, taxistas have been getting killed on the night shift. She said 5 were killed in one night. I haven't seen that on any news. Her sister's husband drives a cab in Bogota that my wife's dad bought and he's been doing some night driving, so they're worried about it.
I don't think Colombia is any safer, or more dangerous, than other places, but you do need to do things a little more carefully, more discreet about your activities and finances.
A side issue:
I don't know why some want to dump on gringoinbogota, he often posts real good information. He comes across as knowing what he's talking about. He mentioned the FARC going in Bogota South. I remember reading, either in the news or one of the books I have on Colombia, that there are actually an estimated 4000-6000 FARC members living in South Bogota, which consequently means many paras are there as well. This is logical as most of South Bogota is poverty level. No better place to recruit and propagandize. I notice a lot of discussions here are only about "touristy" things or life in the North of Bogota, which is hardly the real Bogota. Bogota is the rest, 80%, of the city where people have a hard time getting by, even if they're considered middle-class. I very much like real discussions about the "real" Colombian daily life of which GIB often provides.
I don't want to be a hypocrite. I like money and I own a house in La Norte, but have only been there twice as it's just rental property. But I know that neighborhood isn't a true reflection of Bogota. I don't even like going to Unicentro, the place is so out-of-touch. It's funny how seemingly EVERY SINGLE muchacha working in the upscale stores have boob/nose/lipo jobs. It's like a prerequisite for working there. I also do the tourist thing when I go. I've been to Cartagena (wasn't impressed), Santa Marta (much better) and this time it'll be San Andres, which really isn't Colombia anyway. Yes, it's a department of Colombia, but come on. It's almost 500 miles from the Northeast Colombian mainland off the coast of Nicaragua and not far from the "normal" Carribean hotspots. You can't possibly get a real Colombian vibe there. I could learn otherwise in a few weeks.
So I do take advantage of some of the "nicer" things of Colombia, but I always seem to have the best time in a small local bar or just sitting out on my wife's parents' porch watching everybody's daily routine.
