Travel Warning for Colombia – U.S. State Department

The U.S. State Department issued a travel warning for Columbia last week indicating that while security in Columbia has improved in the last year, violence by narco-terrorist groups continues to affect rural areas and large cities. The security in and around tourist and business travel destinations such as Cartagena and Bogota is much improved according to the travel warning.

In 2011, two U.S. citizens were kidnapped in Colombia: one was held for ransom before being rescued, the other was later found murdered. It’s important for travelers to understand that while the U.S. government places a high priority on the safe recovery of its citizens, it is U.S. policy (as it is of many countries) not to negotiate with kidnappers and terrorists. This policy is designed to limit the power kidnappers, and as a result, the government’s ability to assist those who are kidnapped is limited.

For more detailed information on staying safe in Colombia, see the State Department’s Country Specific Information for Colombia.

See the complete U.S. travel warning for Colombia.