Colombia Calling - The English Voice in Colombia

Perhaps we don't think much about youth activism for the environment and climate change in Colombia all too much...Greta Thunberg dominates the international headlines, but awareness of a movement driven by the country's youth is becoming more apparent.

Cast your mind back to the 11 November demonstrations when Colombians of all sectors of society and of all age groups flooded the streets with their list of demands for the government. Amongst the throng of people, Colombia's younger generations were present and fighting their corner with regards to climate change and the environment. The atmosphere was one of hope for the future.

This week we speak to Juan Jose Guzman, co director of the foundation Pacto X El Clima (www.pactoxelclima.org), an entity set up to give a voice to Latin America's youth. It's inspiring to hear of the organization and how activism in Latin America differs from that in Europe or the US. Of course, we have to also take into account the danger associated with activism of this type in the region.

And finally, Guzman provides us with his perspectives for the future in Colombia.

Buenaventura is one of the major ports on the continent, accounting for nearly 60% of all Colombian sea imports and exports. However, due to its strategic position, the city's economy has been hampered by gang-related activity fighting over control of the port, making it among the most impoverished cities in Colombia with an unemployment rate of roughly 88% for a population of around 400 thousand.

And now, Buenaventura is in the news once again in Colombia, and for all the wrong reasons.

Following on from her first appearance on the Colombia Calling podcast on Ep334 (The Problem with the Coastal Cities of Colombia's Pacific). US academic Shauna Gillooly graciously agreed to return to provide us with a background as to what is going on in Buenaventura.

Tune in to hear about an overlooked and under reported news story from Colombia in which powerful economic interests lead to the displacement and suffering of traditional communities.

Eddie White Jr has courted some controversy here in Colombia, not least with his casual observation and caricatures of "the girls of Medellin." We sit down for a conversation about his art, the long term goal of producing a book and indeed, to hear his side of the story surrounding "that" Medellin image.

In what is a friendly and frank conversation, we learn of White's love for Colombia and his admiration of the people here. His desire is to promote the country and show the wonders and exoticism here through his observational pop art.

Hear artist Eddie White Jr's story and check out his artwork on Instagram.

It will come as no surprise to many that mining is one of the most polluting and destructive industries in the world and in South America this extractive industry has been a root cause for so many different but cross-cutting problems. It’s vital we support frontline communities to defend their land, water and culture; biodiversity, and the global climate and so on this episode of the Colombia Calling podcast, we discuss these issues in relation to Colombia with Tom Gatehouse, writer and researcher for the Latin America Bureau.

Gatehouse is currently writing, "The Heart of Our Earth: Community Resistance to Mining in Latin America," which is due to be published in the Spring of 2022.

Mining has grown exponentially in Latin America in the last three decades. Massive new mining projects have had major socioenvironmental effects, including pollution, appropriation and contamination of water supplies, division and co-optation of communities, and in some cases their forced relocation.

Communities are learning how to resist and some have successfully challenged government and company claims that large-scale mining projects can be safe, sustainable, and socially beneficial.

Tune in to this informative episode.

The Sudaca craft beer company is a business idea born out of an experience in the city of Leeds in Britain when one of the team worked and learned the brewing trade there before returning home to Bogotá. Now, this team has introduced a selection of quality craft beers to the Colombian capital.

It was a great pleasure to be contacted by Rafael Vargas of the Cerveceria Sudaca, located in Bogotá's hip art district of San Felipe, known for off-beat galleries, graffiti and now craft beer, to talk about their work, their brew and the future.

And, showing the kind of classy guys they are at the Sudaca, Vargas sent over some bottles of the IPA and Stout that they produce at the brewery. So, let's say that this episode has been sponsored by Sudaca, check them out www.sudaca.com

I wanted to call Episode 360 of the Colombia Calling podcast, "the Roast of Richard McColl," but it really became, "a conversation with Alba Torres, or "How Alba manages to put up with this annoying, moody and difficult Englishman!"

You asked for it folks and we have delivered, here is the long awaited episode in which Alba Torres, to whom I have the immense honour of being married, gives you the lowdown of the cultural differences, the difficulties in working together and how we ended up opening not one (www.lacasaamarillamompos.com) but two (www.sanrafaelmompox.com) hotels in Mompós, Colombia.

We enjoy an open and frank conversation punctuated with some - not all - of the questions you the listeners sent in for us to answer. Thank you again to all of those of you that participated.

Enjoy!

It's a great pleasure to welcome back Alvaro Torres, the CEO and director of Khiron Life Sciences (Ep344) on the podcast and accompanying him this time is a new member of the board of the company, Juan Carlos Echeverry, former Minister of the Economy in Colombia during the presidency of President Juan Manuel Santos.

This time around we discuss the evolution of the medicinal cannabis industry during the pandemia, Colombia's economic recovery, legalization of illicit products and finally, whether Juan Carlos Echeverry plans to run for the Presidency in the elections in Colombia in 2022.

Years of campaigning for women’s rights and against domestic violence have paid off and other countries in the region could now follow suit, we discuss the ruling on abortion in Argentina and how this may cause a ripple effect as far as Colombia. This week's guest is British freelancer journalist Amy Booth who has been covering events in Argentina closely. Check out Booth's website: https://amyboothwrites.com

It's a controversial topic, but perhaps it's time for there to be a more open discussion in the region regarding this issue? Hear the details from Argentina and let us know what you think and how Colombia might react, if at all?

Picking up where he left off exactly a year ago in Ep306, mountain trekking guide Gabriel Torres reports back in to the Colombia Calling podcast to inform us that his project to map many of the ancient trails in Santander has moved forward significantly. With the support of the French NGO Tetraktys a new project entitled www.destinochicamocha.com is coming into fruition.

Gabriel Torres in joined on Ep357 with Gwenn Prevot of the NGO to talk to us about the importance of the region of Santander for hiking in Colombia, local sustainable tourism within communities and how to appeal to both a Colombian and international market.

There's also the chance for you to win a competition and make your mark on this region, please tune in to find out more!

2020 has been a challenging year by all accounts but it has been a breakthrough year for the Colombia Calling podcast. Now completing our seventh year on the airwaves, the Colombia Calling podcast truly came into its own and matured in 2020. I don't know to what we can attribute this, but the interviews were of a different level, the interviewees more involved and I think my style and form improved too. What do you think?

So, for this year ending 2020 episode, longtime listener and friend, Joey Czikk takes over to discuss some of the more memorable episodes from 2020 including the ones with Wade Davis, Toby Muse, MiKo, Diego Franco, Sergio Guzman, Elizabeth Dickinson and many more.

Thank you again for listening and we'll be back in early January.