3rd May - Throughout the 80s and 90s, Comuna 13 was considered one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the world. It was run by violent drug trafficking organizations, who used the poor, sprawling hillside barrio as a transit route in and out of the city, and served as a stronghold for guerrillas, gangs, and paramilitaries.
Santi spoke about the raid on Comuna 13 in 2002 where the residents were caught in the crossfire and the atrocities that followed. During the first week of the raid, at least 18 people were killed, 34 wounded and almost 250 arrested in Comuna 13. The neighborhoods 100,000 residents were caught in the crossfire, resulting in arbitrary detentions, disappearances, and hundreds of injuries.
The following decade the government set out to improve & in 2011 a series of outdoor escalators were installed which allowed what had been an isolated hillside to be connected to the city below.
These outdoor escalators extend for 1,260 feet (384 m), connecting parts of the once chaotic and isolated hillside neighborhood to the city below.
shift in the local mentality. Kids began to play on the streets once again, and local artists felt safe enough to go out and brighten up their neighborhood.
The result was the creation of one of the most in Medelln. The area surrounding the six sets of escalators is now covered with murals and graffiti, with bright colors and street art decorating walls once riddled with bullet holes. Many murals tell the story of Comuna 13, or depict local heroes, the artwork sliding by as you ride the escalator up to the top of the hill, where a lookout and boardwalk provide excellent views across the city.
An emotional tour at times but from the horrors of the conflict to now seeing so much creativity & beauty shows the strength of the people who never gave up hope.
