UPDATE: Lootings and Riots Spread into Southern Districts of Bogota
Category: Transportation
Severity: 3 (Moderate)
Source: Drum Cussac
02/22/2018 (Colombia) - A wave of unrest and vandalism in multiple localities near Bogota in the past few days has spread into the capital on Wednesday, 21 February. The areas reportedly affected include southern districts such as Ciudad Bolivar and Usme. Imagery circulating on social media show members of the security forces using tear gas to disperse the crowds of looters. Travel disruption has been reported in the vicinity of these areas. The wave of unrest comes following a court ruling expropriating supermarkets belonging to the Supercundi, Merkandrea and Merkafusa brands. These three brands own around 60 establishments across Bogota and have been accused of having links with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and partaking in money laundering activities for the militant group. These supermarkets have become focal points of the riots.
Travellers in the area should remain clear of the aforementioned areas and minimise the time spent in the vicinity of any Supercundi, Merkandrea and Merkafusa establishments or any political gathering in order to mitigate against unruly crowd behaviour and heavy-handed police response. Travellers should monitor local media sources for further updates on the incident and possible associated unrest.
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