Colombia: in Pablo Escobar's footsteps

A controversial Pablo-Escobar-themed tour has been launched in his home town of Medell�n, once Colombia's notorious cocaine-trafficking capital but now a growing tourist destinationA Colombian tourism company has launched a controversial new Pablo Escobar-themed tour of the city that the infamous drug lord locked into a cycle of terror in the 1980s.The operator, See Colombia Travel, has named the excursion, around north-west Medell�n, the "Pablo Escobar is History Tour", claiming it wants to "acknowledge the past, not to hide from it".The four-hour trip costs from �25 and takes visitors from Escobar's old house to the cemetery where he is buried. It even includes a meeting with his brother, Roberto, where you can "ask any questions you like, pose for photos and get signed photos".Some see the tour as a step backwards for a city that has been trying to shake off its constant association with Escobar. Medell�n is the shining star in Colombia's transformation from no-go zone to aspirational destination. Just over two decades ago, it was dubbed the murder capital of the world; now it has boutique hotels such as the new Art Hotel, and is being tipped as a retirement spot for wealthy Americans.The Colombian Ambassador to the UK, Mauricio Rodr�guez M�nera, is vehemently opposed to the idea of tours in Escobar's name. "I think it's very negative and counterproductive. I hope they fail, and soon," he told the Guardian.Yet, failure seems unlikely, given the huge interest in a man who, through cocaine trafficking and murderous ruthlessness, rose to become the seventh richest person in the world before being gunned down by police on a Medell�n rooftop in 1993. It is not uncommon to see backpackers traversing the country with a copy of Killing Pablo, the 2001 biography by Mark Bowden, in hand.Rodr�guez adds that he does not have a problem with Escobar's story being told, but he is against him being mythologised. "I don't think there should be museums or tours or anything making him out to be a legend," he says.See Colombia Travel, which was established in the early 2000s and offers a variety of tours around the county, says it didn't take the decision lightly and its main aim is to show how much security in the city has changed. All profits are being donated to a charity that supports research into Aids and HIV, albeit one in Escobar's name.Company spokesman JL Pastor says: "I've been asked why we are glorifying Escobar, but we think he is the most repellent character in Latin American history. Even his brother is not at all apologetic. This is a bold move, but it is not an opportunity to take pictures with a machine gun, Scarface-style."International tourism arrivals to Colombia rose by 16% in the first half of this year. The UK market showed the largest increase, leaping 40%.ColombiaColumbineSouth AmericaCity breaksVicky Bakerguardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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