Did you know that over the last ten years, the UK has been the third largest investor in Colombia, with British companies investing confidently across a variety of industry sectors, including energy, mining, infrastructure, and financial and professional services. So, this week in Ep 206 of Colombia Calling we jump at the opportunity to talk with the director of the UK Colombia Trade non-profit organisation Alejandro McAllister. 

In a free and flowing conversation, we discuss the Colombian economy and its needs, where investors and businesses are most welcome and why in this country. With concrete examples of British companies setting up in Colombia, this is a fascinating insight in to how Colombia's economy works even against the backdrop of Brexit, the peace accords and the Colombian presidential elections in 2018.

While the story and characters in A Reluctant Warrior are fictitious, they are based on events Kelly Brooke Nicholls witnessed first-hand while living and working in Colombia. During this time, she interviewed thousands of victims of paramilitaries, guerrilla and drug cartels. She knows Buenaventura, where the novel is set, intimately, including the most notorious neighborhoods where foreigners rarely venture. She worked closely with the former Andean Director of the Drug Enforcement Administration to help her realistically map the events in this novel.

And, of course, we have Kelly here on Colombia Calling telling us about her experiences in and love for Colombia and the people, how her book came about, opening up about threats hurled at her by a former president and some thoughts on current-day Colombia. 

Tune in for an excellent episode of Colombia Calling which ties human rights, politics and literature all in one in a neat package.

A paramo is an incredibly fragile high treeless plateau in tropical South America and Colombia plays host to many not to mention Chingaza and Sumapaz both just outside of Bogotá. So this week we sit down and discuss the importance of the paramos to Colombia with three academics from the University of el Rosario. 

Adriana Sanchez, Marius Bottin and James Edward Richardson have between them a wealth of knowledge and together discuss potential outcomes for Colombia's paramos and what is going on in the country regarding environmental protection. What are the risks for the paramos in Colombia? Does mining and illegal mining play a role, what can the government do...and so much more.

Changing things up a little in Episode 203, Colombia Calling heads out to a new cultural event in Bogotá to record at "A Moveable Fiesta." This shindig , hopefully to become an annual event, was the brain child of various authors and artists in Bogotá who felt that it was time to launch something alternative and open which could include Colombians and foreigners alike. 

So, for Ep203, we recorded a three segment show with Seg 1 being a short intro to the event before people arrived, our hopes and fears for A Moveable Fiesta. For Seg 2 I record a short piece of live theatre put on by the Bogotá Anglo Theatre co who perform Edward Albee's "the Zoo Story" in something that is reminiscent of an old BBC radio play, and finally, in Seg 3, it's a frank conversation and some feedback between myself and author Victoria Kellaway reflecting on how the event has been received. 

So, tune in if you want to learn about a new event which showcases new authors, photographers, theatre, chocolate, coffee, painting and so much more!