The premier event for the HVAC/R industry in Latin America, RefriAméricas, organized by ACR Latinoamérica, will celebrate its 20th anniversary on July 24-25, 2024, at the Miami Airport Convention Center. With two decades of history, this successful convention continues to bring together professionals, companies, and institutions in the sector. During the event, the prestigious Cala Awards ceremony will take place, recognizing the Best HVAC/R Installation in Latin America for 2024. This award honors innovation, efficiency, and quality in the most outstanding projects in the region. RefriAmérica ..read more

Many people, including Colombian President Gustavo Petro, like to beat up on what’s left of the coal industry. But few realize that coal is still an essential fuel for energy production —and will remain so until later stages in the global energy transition. The Cerrejón coal mine owned by Switzerland-based Glencore, is the largest economic actor in Colombia’s La Guajira department in the far Northeast of the country near the Caribbean Sea and the Venezuelan border. The open-pit Cerrejón mine has had its share of controversy, with many local people, including the indigenous Wayúu opposing the m ..read more

The United Nations agency dedicated to developing the global tourism sector has selected Cartagena as the host city for the next meeting of its executive council. The gathering, officially the 122nd meeting of the UN Tourism Executive Council, will be held in October and led by the Colombian Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism (MinCIT) along with the support from the Cartagena mayor’s office, the nation’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, national business promotion agency ProColombia, and tourism promotion agencies Fontur and Corpoturismo. The decision, which was made during a session held ..read more

The United States Department of State recently announced that it is offering millions of dollars in reward money for information that helps the law enforcement agency pursue cases against Clan del Golfo leaders involved in human smuggling in the migrant corridor of the Darién region between Colombia and Panama. The Colombian armed group, which alternatively is referred to as the Gaitanist Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia – AGC) or just the Gaitanistas, have been the largest belligerent force operating widely in the Pacific and western Caribbean region for y ..read more

Latin American retailers stand to benefit from easing macroeconomic conditions across the region as inflation stabilizes and interest rates come down, according to a recent report from Fitch Ratings. “Retailers are demonstrating increased prudence with their capex, directing their investments toward optimizing logistics and bolstering the long-term value of customer relationships,” noted Fitch Ratings in a statement accompanying its report. “In response to these market dynamics, companies are striving for a more balanced strategy between growth and profitability when executing digital strategi ..read more

This article, written by Alicia Florez and Sara Garcia, was originally published by InSight Crime, a Medellín-based foundation dedicated to the investigation and analysis of crime and security in Colombia and Latin America. Changes in the leadership of Colombia’s illicit crop substitution program and problems in its implementation raise questions about how organized crime is hindering the government initiative. Colombia’s Comprehensive National Crop Substitution Program (Programa Nacional Integral de Sustitución de Cultivos) was born out of the 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian g ..read more

In April 2024, exports from Colombia’s agricultural and agro-industrial sector totaled $947 million USD, an increase of 22.9% compared to April 2023, according to statistics from the nation’s Ministry of Agriculture. Banana exports, which grew by $66.6 million USD year over year, showed the largest growth (100.3%) followed by coffee (up by $48 million USD and 22.7%) and flowers (up $32.2 million USD and 22.4%). In terms of volume, April exports of agricultural and agro-industrial products reached 549,775 tons, a jump of 38% compared to April 2023. “The increase in exports of key products, such ..read more

Colombian technology association CINTEL (Center for Research and Development in Information and Communications Technologies) has officially launched the Smart City Innovator Awards with a goal of recognizing outstanding initiatives that are transforming cities into more sustainable, safe, and efficient environments. Nominations are now open through July 31 for the inaugural awards and the winners will be announced at ANDICOM 2024 from September 4-6 in Cartagena, Colombia. “This award was designed to promote a smart, innovative, and inclusive city model in which technology can be measured as a ..read more

Colombian airline Avianca this month announced that it is tightening dimensions for the personal items that passengers will be permitted to carry on in its cabins. Those boarding flights operated by the Bogotá-based carrier will now have to keep their personal items to a maximum of 45 x 35 x 20 cm (17.7 x 13.8 x 7.9 inches). Avianca noted the change during a wider announcement regarding the coming of the summer high season, and the new policy has been met with widespread criticism by frequent travelers who have complained that it’s another example of the airline trying to pinch pennies and fur ..read more

Banco de la República, the central bank of Colombia, yesterday voted to lower rates by just 50 basis points — from 11.75% to 11.25%. This is an embarrassingly poor decision that might lead a conspiracy theorist to suggest there is politicking at play. To add some context to this claim, the central bank didn’t have a rate decision meeting in May. So the 50-basis-point move effectively means that they have chosen to cut rates by a mere 25 basis points each month. Colombian Finance Minister Ricardo Bonilla must be pulling his remaining hair out. Along with the rate cut decision yesterday, the cen ..read more