The New York Times
Colombia's Capital finds new sense of optimism
Jan 28--Once a byword for kidnappings, bombs and chaos, Bogotá has become one of South America’s most attractive cities for foreigners to live and invest in.
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The Colombian capital has a buoyant real estate market, thanks in part to a burgeoning economy and improved security. Also, the lessons learned from a local property crash 10 years ago has helped the country avoid the worst of the global downturn.
“Eight or nine years ago, Bogotá was a scary place to visit,” said Brian Andrews, a television news reporter who once worked in Florida and now anchors an English-language news report here.
Álvaro Uribe, Colombia’s president since 2006, has taken a hard line on security issues and scored notable successes against left-wing guerilla groups in recent years. Although the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a rebel insurgency, continues to challenge the government — most recently in December with the kidnapping and killing of a southern governor — the capital city, with a population of 6.5 million, has not been affected.
“Now Bogotá feels like it could be a city in the U.S., but with a particular Latin flair,” Mr. Andrews said.
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