According to Travel Safe Abroad, Colombia is known for its rich culture, exciting music, and delicious food, but people who live in some of its most dangerous towns have to deal with hard realities. These cities are home to busy gangs and organized crime groups, as well as tourism sites. This makes Colombia one of the most dangerous countries in the world. Every day, people live in places that are full of crime, which shows another way that Colombia’s geography is always changing.
10 Most Dangerous Cities in Colombia. (PHOTO: istock)
Cali – Southwestern Colombia
2.86 million people live in a country where violence, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and property crime are common. Cali, in Colombia. Gangs and organized crime groups in the area are to blame for many of these problems. Criminals and dishonest leaders often make it hard for Cali police to do their jobs. This shows how hard it is to live in a city in Colombia and how hard it is for the people who live there.
Bogota – Central Colombia
Bogota, Colombia, is a beautiful city on a high hill with views of the Andes mountains. It has many natural and cultural sights, as well as live theater. Drug dealers use this busy city as a high-traffic route, putting residents and tourists in danger. Bogota is Colombia’s biggest city, with 7.41 million people living there. Like many other cities with a lot of crime, it has problems with corruption, low confidence, and a weak police force. The city is both beautiful and dangerous, and it shows how people live in Central Colombia as officials try to balance these opposing forces.
Medellin – Northwest Colombia
The Medellin Cartel and Pablo Escobar’s rule over the city in the 1980s and 1990s made its deadly past. During this time, the city was scarred by attacks, killings, kidnappings, and blasts. Bloodshed still happens in some parts of Medellin, even though people are trying to move on. Even though the city has 2.5 million people, its troubled past affects how its people live their daily lives.
Cucuta – Norte de Santander
Cucuta in Norte de Santander has a lot of crime, which makes people afraid all year and limits their ability to move around. Because Venezuela and its neighbors are so close, gangs and members of organized crime take advantage of problems with who has authority over what. People all over the city are on edge because of small thefts, robberies, drug dealing, and violent attacks. Due to its high crime rate, Cucuta has sent more police and border patrol agents to the area to try to cut down on crime. With 703,000 people, Cucuta’s problems show how difficult Colombia’s relationships with other countries’ criminals are.
Tumaco – Narino Department (Southwestern Colombia)
Even though Tumaco is beautiful and has a strong economy, it has one of the highest murder rates in Colombia. Even though the city only has a little more than 200,000 people, it has a worrisome death rate of 154 per 100,000. Kidnappings are common in Tumaco, which shows how difficult the problems are in the area. With 221,469 people, Tumaco has a severe crime problem that needs special steps to get to the bottom of it.
Pereria – Risaralda (Central-West Colombia)
It is one of the most risky places to live in Colombia because of the high rates of property crime, violence, and drug crime. The 2021 Pereira Como Vamos report shows a troubling 22.1 murder rate per 100,000 people, which shows that the city has problems with public safety. With a population of 469,269, Pereria needs a wide range of solutions to the complicated mix of factors that lead to its high crime rates. To make the city safer, police work and community participation need to get better.
One of the most risky towns in Colombia is Buenaventura, which has a lot of murders, violent crimes, property crimes, and illegal activities. Violence (258.38 per 100,000 people), property crime (206.84 per 100,000 people), and corruption (82.50 per 100,000 people) are all shockingly high rates in the Buenaventura Como Vamos report for 2021. With 475,000 people living in the city, law enforcement, community participation, and fighting corruption must all work together to bring down these scary crime rates.
Manizales – Department of Caldas (Central Colombia)
In central Colombia’s Manizales, there is violence from local gangs, drug cartels, and organized crime groups. This is happening in a city that is known for its beauty and location near the Nevado del Ruiz volcano. The number of crimes is going down, but major crimes like murder and attacks are still happening. The city’s layout and large number of criminals make it harder for cops to do their jobs. With an estimated 455,000 people living there, Manizales promises to address these issues and make sure that its residents are safe and healthy.
Valledupar – Cesar (Northeastern Colombia)
According to people in Valledupar and the city government, the murder rate is about twice the national average. This makes people worry about their safety. Colombia had a death rate of 25.6 per 100,000 people, but Valledupar had a rate of 45 per 100,000. There are also a lot of small thefts and tourist scams, as well as serious crimes. People who work for the government warn tourists about scams like the “taxi scam” and the “jewelry scam.” In the cab scam, drivers work with both individual and organized crooks to take customers to remote areas where they can be robbed or blackmailed. In the gold scam, most of the time, fake high-end jewelry isn’t useful. With a population of 532,956, Valledupar stresses guest safety and knowledge in the area.
Villavicencio – Meta (Eastern Colombia)
Some places are dangerous because of Villavicencio’s violent crimes, drug dealing, and other crimes. People in the city say the death rate is twice as high as the national average. Villavicencio has a murder rate of 58 per 100,000 people, which shows how important it is to have strict security. Tourists are also vulnerable to small thefts and robberies when they walk alone at night because local thieves are after them. Villavicencio stresses how important safety and community knowledge are for people who live and visit places with more than 500,000 people.
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People who want to see the different scenery in Colombia must be careful and stay safe. Local scams, like the “taxi scam” and fake gold schemes, target tourists in many places, which shows how important it is to know what to look out for. To keep property crimes from turning dangerous, don’t go for walks alone at night in high-risk areas. The US Embassy offers emergency legal help to those who have registered. By checking out services and companies, tourists can avoid falling for scams by planning their trips carefully and doing a lot of research. Keeping goods out of sight lowers the risk of small thefts and scams, which makes traveling in Colombia safer.
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