Uribe’s broken promises, Part 3 & 4
Originally published 14 May 2012 on Colombia Reports. Former President Alvaro Uribe is on a Twitter tirade claiming his successor Juan Manuel Santos has not lived up to 2010 campaign pledges. Not only is this false, but the former President is conveniently forgetting a large number of promises he broke himself. In fact, his failures … Read more
Uribe’s broken promises, Part Two
Originally published 07 May 2012 on Colombia Reports. Former President Alvaro Uribe is on a Twitter tirade claiming his successor Juan Manuel Santos has not lived up to 2010 campaign pledges. Not only is this false, but the former President is conveniently forgetting a large number of promises he broke himself. In fact, his failures … Read more
Uribe’s broken promises, Part One
Originally published 18 April 2012 on Colombia Reports. Former President Alvaro Uribe is on a Twitter tirade claiming his successor Juan Manuel Santos has not lived up to 2010 campaign pledges. Not only is this false, but the former President is conveniently forgetting a large number of promises he broke himself. In fact, his failures … Read more
Colombia’s up-and-coming: The Boqui-Toquis
Originally published 10 April 2012 on Colombia Reports. Medellin’s Boqui-Toquis is an indie-rock-surf-punk band born in the beginning of 2009, formed by four friends. Colombia Reports talked to lead singer Miguel Laverde to learn more about the band and its music. Who are you and where are you from? It all started when Tomas and Simon … Read more
Hope in the time of Colombia
Originally published 26 March 2012 on Colombia Reports. Why would the unquestionable victor of a war make considerable concessions to the vanquished? Why would the strong negotiate with the weak and willingly consolidate power? Traditional ‘might is right’ security policies are inadequate for explaining and predicting such occurrences and, in turn, are extremely shortsighted and … Read more
Vegetarian-like lifestyle in Medellín, Colombia: Conversation with celiac disease sufferer, Alexandra
Originally published 7 June 2011 on Little Colombia Observationist. *As a new challenge to make others aware of vegetarian and vegan lifestyles in Colombia, I’ve started this section of my blog. It follows and interviews vegetarians and vegans living in Colombia or who have travelled to the country. If you fit this category and would … Read more
Creative Colombians: Calavera y la Popular Independiente
Originaly published 28 July 2011 on Little Colombia Observationist. This is a special interview by LCO columnist Julián Esteban Torres López who speaks to Teo Calavera, the lead singer and director of Medellin-based band Calavera y la Popular Independiente. Photo credits go to El Callejón Reggaer bar. JETL: Little Colombia Observationist reaches an international audience. For … Read more
What does it mean to be Colombian?
Originally published 19 October 2010 on Colombia Reports. There are over 45 million “Colombians” living within the country’s borders and about 5 million abroad. I am said to fall under the latter category. However, of these 50+ million individuals, can we really sit down and agree on a set of characteristics in order to essentialize … Read more
Colombia’s ‘obligatory’ military service: The arbitrary role of class disparity
Originally published 24 July 2011 on Colombia Reports. When Alvaro Uribe (2002-2010) first ran for president of Colombia, a question I thought important was dodged. When asked why he and his sons had never performed military service, his campaign declined to comment. The shadow of this question remains indelible in my mind. This is the … Read more
Salsa in Medellín
Originally published 15 July 2011 on Little Colombia Observationist. Words by Julián Esteban Torres López When asked about where the best place for salsa in the city of Medellín is located, Lázaro and I always debate. He doesn’t have a favourite but he is partial to El Tíbiri and Son Cubano, both located near Estación … Read more
The country formerly known as “Colombia”
Originally published 30 June 2011 on Little Colombia Observationist. Satirical Words by Pseudonym Lázaro Rojas Photo above by Scott David Thompson During the first congressional ‘closed-door’ session of the year, on 29 June, in an effort to attract more capital investment and tourists, Sergio Diáz Granados, the country’s Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, successfully persuaded the … Read more
The secret life of a Colombian pseudonym
Originally published 22 June 2011 on Little Colombia Observationist. In December of 2003, exactly five months before the 100th anniversary of the famous Spanish artist, I found myself in St. Petersburg, Florida, at the Salvador Dalí museum. It was here that as a gesture of honour to his life I purchased his autobiography, The Secret … Read more
Save the water for a rainy Colombian day
Originally published 31 May 2011 on Colombia Reports. In a time when Colombians are sick and tired of water because of the incessant torrential rains that have hit the country since last year, in a time during Colombia’s worst natural disaster in its history that has affected more than 3 million people and flooded over … Read more
Colombians: Can old dogs learn new tricks?
Originally published 19 May 2011 on Colombia Reports. When discussing Colombian security, it should be noted that we face more than one threat/conflict keeping us from realizing a more peaceful society. Our very social ethics are also at fault. It may be wise to expand horizons by looking beyond our traditional sources for peace and … Read more
Escobar & bin Laden: Bigger than the man
Originally published 5 May 2011 on Colombia Reports. Though there are similarities and differences between the two men, I liken Osama bin Laden’s assassination with Pablo Escobar’s in 1993. Both were the most wanted men in the world. Both were considered narco-terrorists. Both were a threat to U.S. interest. The U.S. also benefited at certain … Read more
La CaSSaDaGa meant to chronicle my various journalistic and creative writing (#poetry & #fiction) endeavours. The project quickly evolved to also become the main cross+street where Colombian talent meets the world’s. La CaSSaDaGa’s new mission is to also share with an English-speaking, int’l audience the diverse, creative talents of budding Colombian artists and introduce Colombians to the emerging, non-mainstream talents of the world. From one CaSSaDaGaN to another, welcome and bienvenidos to mi CaSSa. Don't forget to remove your shoes -- we walk barefoot around here.
