The Killings of Community Organizers

Protesters against the community leaders' killings rally in front of Bogotá's planetarium.

In recent months, Colombia has suffered an epidemic of killings of community leaders, which seems to be worsening in recent weeks. 

'Defense of Human Rights.'

I haven't seen evidence of a nationwide conspiracy behind these killings. Rather, perhaps they are a product of social tensions, illegal money and lack of rule of law or government presence in many regions. 

And it all once again highlights a fundamental paradox of Colombia: How can a nation of such nice, friendly people suffer such an undercurrent of violence?

Colombian leaders are vowing to stop the killings. But if they are linked to such fundamental national troubles, then the crisis will be difficult to resolve.

Protest signs on the Plaza Bolivar.

'There will not be enough tombs to silence all of us.'

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

May Day March 2018

'Freedom Now! No more frame-ups!' Supporters of jailed FARC leader Jesús Santrich carry signs demanded his freedom.

Members of the FARC's political party -
also known as the FARC - march thru downown.

Surprise, surprise: this year's May Day paraders denounced Trump and called for Santrich's freedom. They were right on one count - Donald Trump has no place is decent society. But evidence against Santrich - a one-time FARC guerrilla leader who is now in prison on drug trafficking charges and may be extradited to the United States - looks quite strong. Perhaps the strongest evidence against Santrich is the fact that the Santos administration, which made the peace deal with the FARC the centerpiece of its reelection campaign - appears to agree that santrich is guilty - despite the huge embarrasment to the peace deal.

I was shaken - emotionally - by a group of mixed martial arts fighters, who labeled themselves anti-fascists, but appeared thoroughly fascist to me. When I took their photos - as I did of all the groups which passed me - they very obnoxiously stuck their own cameras into my face and took my photo, to attempto to intimidate.

Che Guevara: everpresent.

A phalanx of police protects a government building.

FARC supporters show off the flower symbol.

Despite all the evidence, a faile dream never dies.

¡Revolución ahora!

These 'antifascist' marchers looked pretty fasist to me.

A cause I can believe in: marijuana depenalization.

An 'anti-fascist'demonstrator photographs me to intimidate me from photographing them.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Cheating Children of their Green Space

'We need green areas to breathe!'

'We want more recreation.' 'We want to breathe.'

 Recently, schoolchildren marched thru the gritty Santa Fe neighborhood calling for more green areas and recreational spaces - which are in short supply in the poor, industrial area. The neighborhood also has some of Bogotá's poorest air quality.

Yet, ironically - and infuriatingly - just a few blocks away there ARE large green spaces - which are -incomprehensibly - fenced off from the neighbors' use.

A fenced off green space along Calle 26,
across from the INPEC.

When the city built the TransMilenio line along Calle 26 to the airport in 2011, for no apparent reason they demolished houses and businesses long both sides of the avenue. Since then, the land has sat empty and unused, fenced off with barbed wire and with dogs and guards to keep out anybody who dares to walk their dog or play ball on the grass.

When tourists ask me why this is, I just shake my shoulders and confess that city bureacrats, who are obviously much more intelligent than I am, must have very good reasons to spend our tax money  to deny Bogotanos access to public green space.

Jaime Garzon, the martyred comedian, scowls down at the off-limits green area.

Don't dare walk your dog in this green area along 26th Street.

Don't you dare walk on the grass!

No approaching this mural.

A grassy area, once part of the Central Cemetery, could be turned into a large park, rather than fenced off.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Bogotá's Final Bullfighting Season?

Anti-bullfighting protesters march in Bogotá last Sunday.

Workers preparing the plaza for bullfighting recently.

Bogotá's sometimes-annual bullfighting season started last weekend. But, no matter how many ears and tales the fighters are awarded and how many bulls they kill, the real story story is the fate of bullfighting in Bogotá and the rest of Colombia.

Bullfighting has been under siege here since Mayor Gustavo Petro managed to block the activity
during most of his mayoralty. However, a 2016 court ruling obligated the city to allow the fights because they are a tradition here, even tho current Mayor Enrique Peñalosa (perhaps after having observed that the anti-bullfighting crowds are far larger and more motivated than are the bullfighting fans), says he wants to ban bullfighting as well. It also seems as tho bullfighting is getting aged out, since today's young people have other interests, such as videos, football and Pokemon Go.

Men buying tickets to a bullfights. Bullfighting reportedly is
losing popularity, and its fans are aging.

City officials have talked about holding a referendum to let Bogotanos vote on whether or not they want bullfighting to continue, but it's not clear what legal weight such a vote would carry. A senator has also introduced legislation to ban bullfighting nationally. Yet, while only a tiny minority of people seem to like this blood sport, they tend to be economically and politically powerful, giving them a good shot at blocking any anti-bullfighting laws.

A billboard advertises
Bogotá's 2018
bullfighting season.

No matter that the bulls live good lives before they are brought to the Plaza de Toros, where the fight lasts only a quarter of an hour. And no matter that much, much worse practices, such as cockfighting and industrial farming, which affect many more animals, are ignored by protesters: It still is a fact that killing an animal for sport and
entertainment is a cruel spectacle which harkens back to centuries ago.

But if bullfighting ends, will the historic, Moorish-influenced stadium find another life? The panels the city put on its front call it the 'Plaza of a Thousand Uses,' but it receives almost no use at all outside of bullfighting season and a few tourist visits. A rare exception this year was the Davis
Cup Tennis Tournament, held in the stadium. (Colombia lost Croacia.)

Bicycle tourists outside the bullfighting stadium.

A sport with a future? Advertising a bullfighting school.

A rare alternative use for the stadium: An art festivale.

Women's volleyball in the bullfighting plaza.

Big time wrestling inside the bullfighting plaza.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours 

Recyclers Fear for their Profession

Recyclers protest on Jimenez Ave., in La Candelaria.

These recyclers, or trash pickers, object to Decree 596, passed a few years ago, which is supposed to formalize the recyclers' work. However, the resolution requires recyclers to form themselves into associations in order to sell what they collect. It also enables large companies to bid for recycling contracts - which trash pickers fear will put them out of business.

The city also plans to create several trash classification stations, where things like paper, plastic, glass and metals are to be separated for recycling. The informal recyclers fear being cut out of the process, altho city officials assert that they will be included.

A businessman, and presumably and exploiter of the poor recyclers.

Ridiculing 'Ciudad Limpia,' one of the corporate traash collectors.

'Down with Decree 596!'

'Now that trash is valuables, we recyclers are trash.'

A recycling family.

'Recyclers united against the public bidding.'

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours