TRAVEL WARNING COLOMBIA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 028711

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC PTER ASEC CO
SUBJECT: TRAVEL WARNING COLOMBIA


1. The Department of State continues to warn U.S.
citizens of the dangers of travel to Colombia. While
security in Colombia has improved significantly in
recent years, violence by narco-terrorist groups
continues to affect some rural areas as well as large
cities. The potential for violence by terrorists and
other criminal elements exists in all parts of the
country. This updates and replaces the Travel Warning
for Colombia issued August 7, 2008 to update information
on recent security incidents and on contacting and
registering with the U.S. Embassy in Colombia.


2. Violence has decreased in many urban areas; however,
the level of violence in Buenaventura remains high.
Small towns and rural areas of Colombia can still be
extremely dangerous due to the presence of narco-
terrorists. Common crime remains a significant problem
in many urban and rural areas. For additional details
about the general criminal threat, please see the
Department of State's Country Specific Information for
Colombia.


3. Extortion-related bombings have occurred recently in
Bogota, Cali, and several smaller cities. On January
27, 2009, an explosion in a commercial building in
Bogota resulted in two fatalities. On August 9, 2008, a
bomb detonated in northern Bogota injuring 8 persons,
including one American. Many expatriates live in and
frequent the neighborhoods where these explosions
occurred.


4. The incidence of kidnapping in Colombia has
diminished significantly from its peak at the beginning
of this decade. Nevertheless, terrorist groups such as
the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC),the
National Liberation Army (ELN),and other criminal
organizations continue to kidnap and hold civilians for
ransom or as political bargaining chips. No one is
immune from kidnapping on the basis of occupation,
nationality, or other factors. Kidnapping in rural
areas is of particular concern. On July 2, 2008, the
Government of Colombia rescued 15 hostages, including
three Americans, who had been held for more than five
years. Although the U.S. government places the highest
priority on the safe recovery of kidnapped Americans, it
is U.S. policy not to make concessions to or strike
deals with kidnappers. Consequently, the U.S.
government's ability to assist kidnapping victims is
limited.


5. U.S. government officials and their families in
Colombia are permitted to travel to major cities in the
country, but normally only by air. They may not use
inter- or intra-city bus transportation, or travel by
road outside urban areas at night. All Americans in
Colombia are urged to follow these precautions.


6. Americans living or traveling in Colombia are
encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the
State Department's travel registration website
(https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui ) to
obtain updated information on travel and security within
Colombia.


7. The U.S. Embassy is located at Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50
Bogot , D.C. Colombia. Mailing address: Carrera 45 No.
24B-27 Bogot , D.C. Colombia. In case of a serious
emergency that jeopardizes the health or safety of an
American citizen in Colombia, please call the Embassy at
(571) 315-0811; Embassy fax: (571) 315-2197; Consular
Section phone: (571) 315-1566. The Embassy's American

STATE 00028711 002 OF 002


Citizens Services office provides routine information at
http://bogota.usembassy.gov. For questions not answered
there, inquiries may be sent by email to
ACSBogota@state.gov.


8. The U.S. Consular Agency in Barranquilla, which
accepts passport applications and performs notarial
services, is located at Calle 77B, No. 57-141, Piso 5,
Centro Empresarial Las Americas, Barranquilla,
Atlantico, Colombia; telephone (575) 353-2001; fax (011-
57-5) 353-5216. The Consular Agency is not staffed to
respond to after-hours emergencies; in case of an
emergency in the Barranquilla/north coast area, please
contact the Embassy in Bogota at (571) 315-0811.


9. As the Department develops information on potential
security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares
credible threats through its Consular Information
Program documents, available on the Internet at
http://travel.state.gov. U.S. citizens should consult
warden messages for Colombia at
http://bogota.usembassy.gov/acs_wardenmessage .html, as
well as the Department of State's Country Specific
Information for Colombia and the Worldwide Caution at
http://travel.state.gov.


10. U.S. travelers may obtain up-to-date information on
security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free
in the U.S. and Canada or, for overseas callers, on a
regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.


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