 |
|
 |
You want to promote your business on this site?
Contact us!
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
The image of Colombia is dominated by topics like drug war and violence. US State Department renewed its travel warning on Colombia, actor Bruce Willis offended the Colombian nation by claiming a North American intervention. Some foreign travel agents refuse to sell air tickets to Colombia for security reasons and many cruiseship passengers arriving in Cartagena are afraid to visit the historical center. Is Cartagena that dangerous for foreigners? Professor Fredi Goyeneche presents in this interview local statistics, based on his academic studies about violence in Cartagena.
CaribeNet: ¿What is COSED?
Fredi Goyeneche: COSED is part of a the project "Center of Social Observation", was founded to to develop the 5 basic variables of social perspective: Education, health, employment, public safety and child nutrition. The idea is to extend the knowledge about these social variables and finally provide material tecnically analyzed as base for political projects. The District Administration accepted my proposal and Cosed - "Centro de Observación y Seguimiento del Delito en el Distrito de Cartagena" was founded to carry out the project.
The Centers fundamtenal task is to generate tecnically updated and analyzed information about the behaviour of violence and all kinds of crimal activity in a way that will it help to backup local political projects oriented towards prevention against the appearence of delinquency and its range of negative consequences for the local society.
CaribeNet: On 18 of January the US State Department published the following information: "Violence by narcoterrorist groups and other criminal elements continues to affect all parts of the country, urban and rural, including border areas. Citizens of the United States and other countries continue to be victims of threats, kidnappings, and other criminal acts." Can you confirm these observations relevant to Cartagena?
Fredi Goyeneche: Especially Cartagena has not been a violent city by tradition, the opposite is the case. Cartagena is known as a peaceful, tolerant and very hospitable city. We didn't register kidnappings of foreigners or residents nor terrorist acts within the last years.
CaribeNet: Can you compare the numbers with other cities or countries?
Fredi Goyeneche: Cartagena is ranking number 27 in terms of murder rate comparing the department capitals, which are 32 in total. Without doubt you have to say that the rate is definitely high: A little less than 21 murders per 100.000 inhabitants. This is 4 times the rate of Santiago de Chile or more than the doble the rate of New York as well as 14 times the rate of Stockholm. It is lower than in most of the Cetral American capitals, lower than Caracas, Bogotá and the capitals of Brazil and Panama. Seeing and understanding the murder rate in Cartagena you realize the complexity of social factors combined with its actuality. The homicides of this city are concentrated in the suburbs, where at the same time poverty and social exclusion concentrate.
CaribeNet: Within the last 12 months: How many North Americans citizens or other foreigners have been victims of violence in the district of Cartagena? What kind of violence have they been victims of?
Fredi Goyeneche: In the las 12 months nos cases of violence against Noth American citizens or foreigners in general have been reported. Sporadically were reported cases of violence in which Italian citizens were involved: 2 cases within the last 10 years, both cases were related to drug abuse.
Caribenet: Which are the sources for your statistics?
Fredi Goyeneche: My sources are Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses (National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Science), DAS (Colombian Secret Police), DADIS (Health Institute), CTI (Criminal Police), Policia Nacional (National Police), DATT (Transit Control): Oficial entities related to control, vigilance, health, traffic and investigation.
CaribeNet:¿Which are the sources of US State Deparment?
Fredi Goyeneche: I don't know.
CaribeNet:Why do you think the results of US State Department are so different from yours?
Fredi Goyeneche: I don't believe the matter has to do with criminal statistics, other reasons underly the mediate handling of this matter. The numbers not are different, interpretation and perception - which include a subjective part- differ.
Note: Fredi Eduardo Goyeneche Gonzalez teaches as Professor of Economics and Economic History at Universidad de Cartagena. He is director of thel Centro de Observación Social y Seguimiento del Delito en el Distrito de Cartagena (COSED).
|
|
|
|
|
Cartagena
