http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
When one considers investing in Latin America and investing in Colombia in particular the famous words of Baron Rothschild come to mind. This 18th century investor and banker is credited with saying that “The time to buy [stocks] is when there is blood in the streets.” He was talking about 18th century wars and rebellions but his words are pertinent in the New World today. Specifically, Colombia is coming out of a half century long rebellion and many investors have not yet caught on. This is the second of a four part series about Investing in Colombia. We will deal briefly with the history of the Colombian Civil War and then look at investment opportunities in the 8 million person capital city of Bogotá.
The Colombian Civil War
The current Colombian civil war has lasted from the mid 1960’s to the present. Rebels say they are fighting for the rights of the Colombian poor. The primary rebel group is FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia). The rebels primarily have occupied remote areas of the jungle, especially in the Amazon Basin with occasional forrays into the cities. An increasingly aggressive campaign by the Colombian government has driven FARC from the cities and forced them to cross borders into Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama in search of sanctuary. Despite the claim that FARC simply wants to improve the lot of poor Colombians they have been tied to drug trafficking. Many Colombian families can name a member of two who were assassinated by FARC for opposing extortion efforts by the rebels. On the other hand government allied paramilitary forces fighting FARC are also accused of drug trafficking and terrorism. The good news is that the conflict is settling down and Colombian Peace Talks have begun. The time has come for investing in Colombia.
The Capital City of Colombia
Affect the accent of someone from Madrid when telling a story and a Latin American will often laugh, just at the accent. The same is true about a Bogotá accent for Colombians from outside of the capital city. Bogota lies at 8,600 feet above sea level making it the third highest city in Latin America after La Paz and Quito. One in every six Colombians lives in the Bogota municipal area.
Bogotá is the seat of the Colombian national government and the economic and industrial center of Colombia. Bogotá accounts for a fourth of Colombia’s GDP. It is one of the largest centers of industry in Latin America. The city is centrally located making logistics relatively easy in this mountainous country. A large number of multinational companies have located in Bogotá. A downside to its central location is that Bogotá is not a port city, so transport of finished goods for export can be difficult. Telecommunications and service industry provide three fourths of all jobs in Bogotá.
Bogota is high, cold, and not a tourist destination.
Ride the Storm: Navigating Through Unstable Periods / Katerina Rudko (Belka G...
Investing In Colombia II Bogota
1. Investing in Colombia II
– Bogotá
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-
colombia-ii-bogota/
2. • When one considers investing in Latin America
and investing in Colombia in particular the
famous words of Baron Rothschild come to
mind.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
3. • This 18th century investor and banker is credited
with saying that “The time to buy [stocks] is
when there is blood in the streets.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
4. • .” He was talking about 18th century wars and
rebellions but his words are pertinent in the
New World today.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
5. • Specifically, Colombia is coming out of a half
century long rebellion and many investors have
not yet caught on.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
6. • This is the third of a four part series about
Investing in Colombia.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
7. • We will deal briefly with the history of the
Colombian Civil War and then look at
investment opportunities in the 8 million person
capital city of Bogotá.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
8. The Colombian Civil War
• The current Colombian civil war has lasted from
the mid 1960’s to the present. Rebels say they
are fighting for the rights of the Colombian poor.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
9. • The primary rebel group is FARC (Fuerzas
Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia).
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
10. • The rebels primarily have occupied remote areas
of the jungle, especially in the Amazon Basin
with occasional forrays into the cities.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
11. • An increasingly aggressive campaign by the
Colombian government has driven FARC from the
cities and forced them to cross borders into
Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama in search of
sanctuary.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
12. • Despite the claim that FARC simply wants to
improve the lot of poor Colombians they have
been tied to drug trafficking.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
13. • Many Colombian families can name a member
of two who were assassinated by FARC for
opposing extortion efforts by the rebels.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
14. • On the other hand government allied
paramilitary forces fighting FARC are also
accused of drug trafficking and terrorism.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
15. • The good news is that the conflict is settling
down and Colombian Peace Talks have begun.
The time has come for investing in Colombia.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
16. The Capital City of Colombia
• Affect the accent of someone from Madrid when
telling a story and a Latin American will often
laugh, just at the accent.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
17. • The same is true about a Bogotá accent for
Colombians from outside of the capital city.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
18. • Bogota lies at 8,600 feet above sea level making
it the third highest city in Latin America after La
Paz and Quito.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
19. • One in every six Colombians lives in the Bogota
municipal area.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
20. • Bogotá is the seat of the Colombian national
government and the economic and industrial
center of Colombia.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
21. • Bogotá accounts for a fourth of Colombia’s GDP.
It is one of the largest centers of industry in
Latin America.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
22. • The city is centrally located making logistics
relatively easy in this mountainous country.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
23. • A large number of multinational companies have
located in Bogotá.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
24. • A downside to its central location is that Bogotá
is not a port city, so transport of finished goods
for export can be difficult.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
25. • Telecommunications and service industry
provide three fourths of all jobs in Bogotá.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
26. • Bogota is high, cold, and not a tourist
destination.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
27. • Foreigners will not come to retire there.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
28. • However, it is a bustling center of commerce and
could be a profitable place to do business.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
29. The Rising Colombian Peso
• The Colombian peso has outperformed all other
currencies versus the US dollar in 2012.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
30. • For those interested in offshore investment and
offshore banking, Colombia may well be the
place to be as its economy takes off.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
31. • For more about investing in Colombia, read
Investing in Colombia I – The
Caribbean, Investing in Colombia II - Bogota, and
Investing in Colombia IV - The Amazon.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-ii-bogota/
