http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/ Investing In Colombia I The Caribbean 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 first 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 on and in the Colombian Caribbean. 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 Caribbean Coast of Colombia Colombia is a nation of roughly 46million people. Its major exports are coffee, flowers, emeralds, coal, and oil. As the risk, and especially the perceived risk, of visiting Colombia diminishes expect to see tourism, retirement to Colombia, and purchases of vacation homes increase in Colombia. The most like beneficiary of the will be the Caribbean Coast. The Colombian ministry of tourism has developed a new slogan, “The only danger in Colombia is that you will not want to leave.” Foreigners are visiting Colombia again and the “blood in the streets” is going away. Consider Cartagena, Santa Marta, and the Island of San Andres for investment opportunities. Cartagena de Indias Cartagena is a Spanish Colonial city with an old fortress and beautifully restored old city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Beaches are great and the people are friendly. The urban area boasts 900,000 people. Cartagena has a decided Caribbean influence and is already a tourist magnet.

1. Investing in Colombia I
- The Caribbean
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-
colombia-i-the-caribbean/

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-i-the-caribbean/

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-i-the-caribbean/

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-i-the-caribbean/

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-i-the-caribbean/

6. • This is the third of a four part series about
Investing in Colombia.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

7. • We will deal briefly with the history of the
Colombian Civil War and then look at
investment opportunities in the Colombian
Caribbean.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

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-i-the-caribbean/

9. • The primary rebel group is FARC (Fuerzas
Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia).
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

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-i-the-caribbean/

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-i-the-caribbean/

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-i-the-caribbean/

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-i-the-caribbean/

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-i-the-caribbean/

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-i-the-caribbean/

16. The Caribbean Coast of Colombia
• Colombia is a nation of roughly 46million
people. Its major exports are
coffee, flowers, emeralds, coal, and oil.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

17. • As the risk, and especially the perceived risk, of
visiting Colombia diminishes expect to see
tourism, retirement to Colombia, and purchases
of vacation homes increase in Colombia.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

18. • The most like beneficiary of the will be the
Caribbean Coast.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

19. • The Colombian ministry of tourism has
developed a new slogan, “The only danger in
Colombia is that you will not want to leave.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

20. • Foreigners are visiting Colombia again and the
“blood in the streets” is going away.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

21. • Consider Cartagena, Santa Marta, and the Island
of San Andres for investment opportunities.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

22. Cartagena de Indias
• Cartagena is a Spanish Colonial city with an old
fortress and beautifully restored old city on the
Caribbean coast of Colombia.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

23. • Beaches are great and the people are friendly.
The urban area boasts 900,000 people.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

24. • Cartagena has a decided Caribbean influence
and is already a tourist magnet.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

25. • Cartagena is a great place for a first visit to
Colombia and offers real investment
opportunities in real estate and business when
investing in Colombia.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

26. Santa Marta
• Santa Marta is a city of 400,000 farther to the
East of Cartagena, also on the Caribbean. It is
also a colonial city, founded in 1525.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

27. • . It is a tourist Mecca for Colombians and
other Latinos with its spectacular
beaches, nearby Santa Marta
mountains, nature preserves, and colonial
architecture.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

28. • It offers the same mix of opportunity for
investing in Colombia for tourism and real estate
related businesses as Cartagena.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

29. • However, Santa Marta has been more
strongly affected by the armed conflict.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

30. • On one hand this may lead to a concern about
personal danger.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

31. • On the other hand investment opportunities will
likely multiply more strongly here than in
Cartagena.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

32. San Andres Island
• Although the island of San Andres is Colombia it
is a coral island in the Caribbean Sea, closer to
Nicaragua than to Colombia.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

33. • Here the concern of armed conflict fades to
nothing in the Caribbean sun.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

34. • Although investing in Colombia in San Andres is
certainly possible, don’t expect a jump in prices
and economic activity when peace breaks out.
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

35. • The island is already peaceful!
http://robertgirga.com/RobertGirga/investing-in-colombia-i-the-caribbean/

36. 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-i-the-caribbean/

37. • 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-i-the-caribbean/

38. • 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-i-the-caribbean/