Screenshot from China's Embassy to Colombia

 
China's Embassy in Colombia on Wednesday issued a safety reminder to Chinese citizens in the country or those planning to visit the South American country, citing the deteriorating public security in multiple areas. The embassy has issued a similar safety alert in November 2024. 

Recently, Colombia's overall security situation has worsened, with deteriorating public safety in many areas, frequent theft and robbery cases and recurring safety incidents involving Chinese citizens, resulting in significant financial losses and, in some cases, stranding victims in Colombia, unable to return home, the Chinese Embassy in Colombia said in a WeChat post. 

The embassy urged all Chinese citizens in or planning to travel to Colombia to avoid complacency and wishful thinking, and to bear in mind that Colombia still has one extremely high-risk province and 18 high-risk provinces. 

It called on Chinese citizens to strengthen safety precautions, make emergency plans, avoid dangerous areas, refrain from investing in risky ventures and firmly establish a sense of being the "primary person responsible for their own overseas safety" to ensure personal and property security.

The embassy listed several common crimes in Colombia, including violent robbery cases, roadside "motorcycle" robbery cases, theft cases in tourist attractions and crowded areas, "drug-induced" robbery cases, kidnapping, robbery, and extortion cases, as well as cases of being stranded after theft or robbery.

The embassy listed the one extremely high-risk province and 18 high-risk provinces in Colombia. It also provided Colombia's local emergency number and the emergency hotline for global consular protection services of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Global Times