How has Colombia managed to significantly improve its crime statistics? What has driven the growth of innovation in the country? And where is Colombia headed? Interview with the Colombian Ambassador to Hungary on the occasion of Ignacio Enrique Ruiz Perea’s upcoming appearance as the guest of the Ludovika Ambassadorial Forum on November 10.
When did you get your first impressions of Hungary?
To be honest, when I first came here, I didn’t know much about the country. I had heard many good things about Hungary, but it still felt like a very distant place from Colombia — more than 8,000 kilometers away. So before coming, I did some research about the country, its customs, and its politics. When I finally arrived, I was truly impressed by the people and by the unique character and culture of Hungarians. I would say my impressions went from “minus to plus” — or in other words, from neutral to very positive. Many aspects of life here have amazed me. Overall, I have a very good impression of both the Hungarian people and the country itself. After living here for three years, I’ve learned many things that make me appreciate what a wonderful country this is.
How have your perception of Hungary, Hungarians changed during your years in Budapest?
Well, even though there are big differences in behavior, in how people react to situations, and in their daily habits, I’ve found that I can actually understand the Hungarian mindset quite easily — and that has really impressed me in a positive way. Even though Hungarians tend to be quieter compared to the more spontaneous and expressive Latin American way of life, I’ve discovered that there’s a wonderful sense of humor here, a strong sense of organization, and a deep respect for the law. These qualities have given me many valuable experiences and taught me a lot about everyday life in a society where people truly respect one another — whether it’s following traffic rules or listening to each other’s opinions.
What is your experience, how much do we Hungarians know or not know about Colombia?
Well, first of all, let me tell you that there has been some Hungarian migration to Colombia, especially in the late 1950s. Because of that, we share certain similarities. Colombia, too, has experienced significant migration to other countries. Just as I initially didn’t know much about Hungary, I believe that many Hungarians also don’t know a great deal about Colombia. Unfortunately, as often happens, some international media outlets present biased or misleading information about certain countries — and misinformation can be very damaging. Sometimes, a half-truth can be even worse than a complete lie. Because of that, people often recognize Colombia mainly through negative news. However, many also know us through our famous writers, artists, and athletes. I’ve noticed that over the past three years, awareness and understanding of Colombia have grown here in Hungary — and that’s something very positive. There’s also a Hungarian community living in Colombia, and they have helped strengthen the ties between our two nations. Likewise, here in Hungary, there are many mixed marriages and couples — Colombian and Hungarian — which beautifully blend our cultures. Hungarians seem to genuinely enjoy our music, our traditions, and our literature. I can feel that the perception of Colombia is changing for the better. We’ve made a great effort to counter misinformation and show the true image of our country — and Hungarians have been very open and understanding of this reality.
Let’s speak about your country! I read that violent crimes have decreased by 82%, and public safety has significantly improved. How did you manage to achieve this result?
Yes, I believe this is closely connected to one of the key priorities of the current president, whose main goal is to achieve what he calls Total Peace. Through the National Policy on Security and Defense, as well as initiatives promoting citizen coexistence, President Gustavo Petro’s Total Peace project has been advancing step by step. As you know, Colombia signed a historic peace agreement in 2016, which led to the disarmament of the largest guerrilla group, the FARC. Building on that foundation, the president has continued efforts to engage in dialogue with other armed groups, emphasizing that the best path forward is through conversation, not confrontation. Our goal is to end armed conflict within the country once and for all. The government has also implemented a wide range of social programs focused on education, employment, healthcare, and opportunities for young people. These initiatives, together with peacebuilding efforts, have contributed to a tangible decrease in crime rates. The central idea is to transform former conflict zones into areas of coexistence, opportunity, and legality for local communities. In this way, the policy of Total Peace, supported by strong social programs has produced measurable and encouraging results.
Regarding public security, there have been impressive results in recent years. Since 2022, over 8,600 members of armed groupsand 4,000 members of criminal gangs have been captured. In the fight against drug trafficking, cocaine seizures have increased by 14%. Homicides and violent deaths have also decreased significantly — for instance, personal deaths are down by 17%, and residential deaths by 27%.
This remarkable reduction has been possible thanks to a combination of factors: the national government’s Total Peace initiative, strong social policies, and long-term investment in education and healthcare — which are essential foundations for building a safer, more equitable, and forward-looking society.
Medellín, once called the most dangerous city in the world, is now considered the most innovative city in South America and has become an attractive tourist destination. What measures were implemented to achieve this?
As you mentioned, back in 1991 Medellín was a very dangerous city. That was the time when Pablo Escobar was still alive, leading a violent campaign against extradition and against the police. However, over the past 30 years, the city has undergone a remarkable transformation. At that time, the homicide rate was around 381 per 100,000 inhabitants, but today it has dropped to a very low level thanks to several programs implemented by both the local and national governments. These initiatives focused on what we call social urbanism — investing in education, culture, and infrastructure in the poorest neighborhoods. The goal was to provide opportunities and education as key tools to steer young people away from crime and criminal groups. In addition to social urbanism, Medellín has developed infrastructure. A great example is Metrocable, an innovative public transportation system of cable cars that connects the city center with marginalized communities located in the surrounding hills. Along with electric escalators and other urban projects, this has helped reintegrate formerly isolated neighborhoods into the main urban life of the city.
Another important aspect has been strong public-private collaboration. There has been effective integration between security policies and social programs, supported by sustainable financing from the public utilities company EPM (Empresas Públicas de Medellín). EPM is a publicly owned enterprise that provides essential services such as water, electricity, and gas. Through partnerships with private companies, it has helped improve and expand these services, contributing greatly to the overall quality of life and connectivity across the city.
One of the country’s main problems is the pollution of large rivers and lakes by big corporations. What can the country’s leadership do about this?
First of all, I should mention that Colombia has a solid environmental framework grounded in three major international conventions: the Basel Convention, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Based on these three global instruments, Colombia has developed several national policies, particularly in three key areas aimed at combating pollution: the National Water Policy, the National Environmental Strategy, and the Solid Waste Management Policy. Together with national legislation adopted since 2015, these initiatives reflect the government’s clear objective of balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability.
From a security perspective, it is important to note that environmental pollution in Colombia is not caused only by large companies, but also by illegal armed groups. Two of the most profitable activities for these groups are illegal mining and illicit drug production.
Regarding illegal mining, the Colombian government has made significant efforts to dismantle operations that use highly toxic substances such as mercury and cyanide — both of which seriously contaminate rivers and ecosystems. The government’s environmental strategy includes two major objectives: to promote cleaner production and responsible corporate practices, and to fight against environmental crimes such as illegal mining and drug-related pollution.
As Ambassador to Hungary since the end of 2022, how do you assess the past period in terms of Colombian-Hungarian bilateral cooperation? What are the main bilateral achievements?
One of the most important fields of collaboration is education. We are deeply grateful to the Hungarian government for its generous offer of the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship program, which provides opportunities for Colombian students to pursue higher education in Hungary. In return, Colombia also offers scholarships for Hungarian professionals who wish to learn Spanish or undertake advanced studies in our country. Moreover, we are very pleased to see a growing number of private agreements and Memoranda of Understanding signed between Colombian and Hungarian universities. These agreements promote academic mobility for both teachers and students and open new paths for joint research and cultural exchange. Another important initiative is the Working Holiday Program, which was concluded this year. This agreement allows young Colombians and Hungarians to live, work, and study in each other’s countries — an invaluable experience for strengthening personal, educational, and professional ties. A third area of educational cooperation is the ongoing collaboration between our diplomatic academies. An agreement signed in 2021 has enabled exchanges of instructors, sharing of best practices, and training activities between both institutions, which continues to enrich our diplomatic communities.
Beyond education, there are also strong ties in technical and security cooperation. For example, an agreement between the national police forces of Colombia and Hungary has led to joint training initiatives. Hungarian officers have participated in courses in Colombia on airport and port interdiction against smuggling, and earlier this year, a group of Hungarian police officers visited Cartagena for a joint training program with their Colombian counterparts. These exchanges allow both sides to share valuable experiences and learn from each other’s expertise in combating various forms of crime.
What additional areas of cooperation do you see possible in the future between our two countries?
We have been strengthening ties between the institutions that promote investment and exports — such as HEPA and HIPA here in Hungary, and the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá in Colombia. Last year, for example, these organizations held a joint webinar and have maintained active communication since then. Our goal is to continue facilitating the exchange of experiences and best practices, as this is a very effective way to deepen cooperation. Although trade between Colombia and Hungary is not yet very large, one of the key objectives of our embassy is precisely to increase and diversify the trade balance between our two nations. Colombia exports several key agricultural products, such as coffee, tropical fruits, and flowers. On the other hand, Hungary exports to Colombia mainly machinery, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles which are produced here in Hungary. These sectors represent the core of our current trade exchange.
However, beyond trade, I believe that our bilateral cooperation can evolve into a multidimensional partnership, encompassing economic, technological, environmental, educational, and culturaldimensions. In addition to diversifying trade and increasing investment, there are many opportunities for Hungarian companies in Colombia. For instance, one of Hungary’s largest companies, Gedeon Richter, is already established in Colombia, producing a wide range of pharmaceutical products. There are also several Hungarian firms in the hardware and software sectors operating successfully in our market.
Photo: Cartagena, Colombia – depositphotos.com/alexmillos
