Colombia: Pope visits several cities September 6-10 /update 1

Event

Pope Francis' first visit to Colombia will take place from Wednesday, September 6, to Sunday, September 10. The Pope will spend September 6-7 in Bogotá, September 8 in Villavicencio, September 9 in Medellín, and September 10 in Cartagena. He is expected to attend several religious ceremonies and meetings with both clergy and government officials. A complete itinerary of Pope Francis' trip can be found via the Vatican Radio website. A visibly increased security presence and associated transportation disruptions (large crowds and congestion surrounding events related to the papal visit, temporary road closures, etc.) should be expected. A large influx of visitors will likely arrive in the abovementioned cities during the Pope's trip, which could also cause delays and congestion at local airports and other transportation hubs.

Context

The tour will be Pope Francis' 20th foreign trip since his papacy began in 2013, and represents the first papal visit to Colombia since 1986. According to the Vatican, the thematic message of Pope Francis' visit to Colombia will be "taking the first step" toward reconciliation, in an attempt to build confidence in the Colombian government's recently reached peace deal and ceasefire with the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and ELN (National Liberation Army), respectively. The FARC peace deal, which failed in a popular referendum on October 2, 2016 and was later passed by Colombia's congress in November, remains a divisive issue in Colombia. Some 7000 former FARC fighters will soon be integrated into Colombian society as a result of the peace accord.

Advice

Individuals should anticipate localized transportation disruptions and crowded conditions in the abovementioned cities during the Pope's visit as well as an increased security presence.​