Colombia Calling - The English Voice in Colombia

The potential for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin in Latin America is huge according to Ep259's guest, Matt Aaron. I for one am a complete newbie to this new form of finance and so, we go through the basics with Aaron and talk about the challenges facing Bitcoin and other coins in South America, but also their very real benefits. 

Additional to the upsides of working with cryptocurrencies in Colombia - providing users with, "censorship resistant money," (more about this term on the podcast), there is an added opportunity for people in Venezuela where the traditional economy has completely collapsed under President Nicolas Maduro to use a currency which will remain practically unaffected by their government's interference. 

Did you know that there will be a cryptocurrency “airdrop” fundraiser to help Venezuelans dropping on May 27 2019? People have been donating funds via a number of different coins to the citizens of the crisis-stricken South American nation — many of whom are refugees. Our advice though, is to not invest all your money in Venezuela's cryptocurrency, the Petro, just yet!

So tune in to find out more on this profoundly interesting episode about the aim to change the market economy as we know it, to something more social and less restrictive. For more information, check out www.bitcoin.com

Direct download: RCC_259.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

We'll all readily remember the images of Bogotá and Medellin being brought to a standstill by student protests in late 2018, marches had been planned for 2019, but after the tragic and nefarious events of Thursday January 17, when 21 people were killed in a bomb attack, all protests were suspended. 

So, in Episode 258 of the Colombia Calling podcast, we sit down with scot Sarah Jack, currently working in the Universidad Pedagogica, to talk about the university, the protests and what the students want from the Duque government.

Hear Sarah's accounts of the university she loves and the students there. Recounting what she knows about tear gas and what to do when you hear the sound of the first "potato bomb," Sarah gives us a balanced and compelling look into the Pedagogica.

Direct download: RCC_258.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:56pm EDT

On Ep257 we have the opportunity to talk with Adriaan Alsema the director of Colombia Reports (www.colombiareports.com) the largest English news website in Colombia and discuss the reality of the political landscape here for 2019. 

Unfortunately, the realistic interpretation of events so far in Colombia in 2019, doesn't make for upbeat listening. Continued cases of corruption, the seemingly endless assassinations of social and community leaders, issues in Venezuela and local elections in October make for a tricky year in 2019 for President Ivan Duque's government. 

However, there may be some positive news on the horizon, there may be hope for Colombia, so we ask you, the listener, is Colombia returning to her status of a banana republic or on the threshold of a bright new future?

Direct download: RCC_257.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:36am EDT

Colombia's Truth Commission was formerly inaugurated in 2018 and has a great deal of issues to deal with, the remit includes most of the following topics: To shed light on the conflict and offer a wide-ranging explanation of its complexity. To promote and contribute to recognition of victims of conflict; voluntary recognition of individual and collective responsibility by those involved both directly and indirectly in the conflict; and recognition by society as a whole that conflict should be both rejected and never repeated. To promote coexistence in the affected areas as a guarantee of non-repetition.

So, it is a great honour and pleasure to host Colombia-expert Michael Evans, Director of the Colombia Project at the National Security Archives in Washington DC (https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/) and to listen him talk about the importance of a robust and focused Truth Commission in Colombia. 

Evans brings a wealth of knowledge to this episode of the Colombia Calling podcast and talks about experiences in Guatemala and his publication, "The Chiquita Papers," about the Chiquita company's involvement in paying off armed groups in Colombia. 

Tune in for an informed and informative discussion about some of the challenges facing Colombia.

Direct download: RCC_256.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:30am EDT

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