Medellin Dangerous: Comprehensive Research on dangers for the tourist visiting Colombia
- Vladimir
- Apr 5
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 20
This post does not mean to scare people from visiting Colombia, it is a fascinating magical place that everyone should visit, this post is just a raw research i did for my blog post Is Medellin Colombia safe for tourist? No, but you still should go
Medellin has made significant progress from its troubled past, but tourists still need to exercise caution. While the city has successfully reduced crime rates, with homicides down to 12 cases per 100,000 residents, there are still some safety concerns to be aware of.
The main risks for tourists are:
Petty crime, particularly theft and pickpocketing https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/colombia
Armed robberies and occasional drugging incidents
Some areas are best avoided, especially at night
To stay safe in Medellin:
1. Stay in safer neighborhoods like El Poblado, which has high police presence
2. Use ride-sharing services or official taxis at night
3. Keep valuable items secure and be aware of your surroundings
4. Stick to well-populated areas
It's worth noting that the U.S. State Department currently has Colombia at a Level 3 advisory ("reconsider travel") due to crime and terrorism risks, though this applies to the country as a whole and not specifically to Medellin.
The bottom line is that Medellin can be safe for tourists who take proper precautions, but it requires more vigilance than many other tourist destinations. The touristic neighborhoods actually experience only 13% of the city's total reported crimes, suggesting that popular tourist areas are generally safer than other parts of the city.
Based on the recent data, there has been a significant increase in crimes against tourists in Medellin. Here are the specific statistics:
2023:
In the first 10 months of 2023, Medellin's tourism observatory recorded 32 violent killings of foreigners in the city, including at least 12 Americans https://insurednomads.com/drugged-robbed-killed-a-cautionary-tale-for-americans-visiting-medellin/
In just November and December 2023, eight U.S. citizens died in suspicious circumstances in Medellin
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/11/colombia-dating-apps-tourist-deaths
Violent deaths of foreign visitors increased by 29% in the final quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022
Thefts against foreigners rose by 200% in the third trimester of 2023 https://english.elpais.com/international/2024-01-12/us-embassy-warns-citizens-not-to-use-tinder-or-grindr-in-medellin-after-suspicious-deaths-of-eight-tourists.html
2024 (partial year):
So far in 2024, with 359,000 tourists visiting the city, there have been 29 violent tourist deaths - averaging more than one death per week https://english.elpais.com/international/2024-06-24/29-tourist-deaths-trigger-alarm-bells-in-medellin.html
According to some reports, the number has reached 39 tourist deaths in 2024, with half of them being American citizens
https://www.channel4.com/news/tourist-deaths-linked-to-dance-with-devil-in-colombias-sin-city
Common patterns in these crimes:
Many cases involve dating apps and meeting locals through online platforms
Victims are often drugged and robbed
Most victims are male tourists
Many cases involve scopolamine (devil's breath) drugging
The U.S. Embassy has issued specific warnings about the risks of using dating applications in Medellin
https://co.usembassy.gov/security-alert-risks-of-using-online-dating-applications/
Despite these concerning statistics for tourists, it's worth noting that according to the Ministry of Defense, Medellin ranks 19th among the 20 most dangerous cities in Colombia, with an average of 12.9 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, suggesting that the spike in tourist-targeted crime is a specific phenomenon rather than reflective of overall city safety.
Some concerning trends specifically for Americans kidnapped in Medellin
According to recent reports, there have been "eight suspicious deaths" of Americans in Medellin, with some cases involving kidnapping before the deaths. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/23/us-tourists-killed-kidnapping-colombia/
Overall kidnapping rates in Colombia have increased significantly: The number of kidnappings in the country rose to 287 in 2023, the highest figure since 2014. https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-tourists-colombia-caught-wave-173720934.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9tYW5hZ2Uud2l4LmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAE-jNMz8JH3XLR1bJlGNxSSjPE0xJo2Ffs98y8r2E-9b3GC4JVPMJB9ioIDjwnKsCuj64d3ezlYxpyBomD9esbF0iDY3oJIq8QIxxQqo5g98BUvaj4bR8-1lesuOE_V5FRUe7N6cNRDlpWQjFxUKhiunpidHd1LYuLLlufA9FEr5
In the first half of 2023 alone, kidnappings increased by 93% compared to the same period in 2022.
https://www.financecolombia.com/kidnappings-spiked-by-93-in-colombia-during-the-first-half-of-2023/
The U.S. Embassy has recently issued warnings about the continued threat of crime throughout Colombia, including armed robberies and kidnappings.
Medellin Dangerous: Comprehensive Research on dangers for the tourist visiting Colombia
A particularly concerning recent case involved an American citizen, Tou Ger Xiong, who was kidnapped and killed in Medellin in December 2023. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/nation-world/3-people-1-minor-charged-with-murdering-st-paul-hmong-american-activist-tou-ger-xiong-in-colombia/89-3919a752-f154-4c8f-8a7c-1e2ed978a508
Due to these concerns, the U.S. State Department maintains a Level 3 Travel Advisory ("Reconsider Travel") for Colombia, specifically citing crime, terrorism, and kidnapping as major concerns.
Here's a detailed breakdown of American kidnapping incidents in Colombia from 2020-2025:
Military-Related Kidnapping:
In 2020, two U.S. Army soldiers were drugged, kidnapped, and robbed in Bogotá. https://taskandpurpose.com/news/colombia-kidnap-us-soldiers/
Three Colombian nationals were involved: Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa, Uribe Chiran, and Jeffersson Arango Castellanos
Silva Ochoa pleaded guilty in December 2024 to conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person
Tou Ger Xiong Case:
A 50-year-old Hmong American comedian and activist https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/artist-activist-minn-kidnapped-killed-colombia-remembered-beloved-lead-rcna129978
Arrived in Medellín on November 29, 2023
Kidnapped after meeting a woman on social media
https://people.com/tou-ger-xiong-minnesota-comedian-activist-killed-colombia-8415431
Kidnappers demanded a $2,000 ransom https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/twin-cities-artist-activist-tou-ger-xiong-killed-in-colombia/
Found dead on December 11, 2023, with signs of violence
Mass Kidnapping Incidents:
In the last two months of 2023, eight U.S. citizens died in Medellín in incidents involving kidnapping and suspected murder https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/11/colombia-dating-apps-tourist-deaths
The U.S. Embassy confirmed eight "suspicious deaths" between November 1 and December 31, 2023
Overall Kidnapping Trends:
Kidnappings in Colombia increased by 93% in the first half of 2023 https://www.financecolombia.com/kidnappings-spiked-by-93-in-colombia-during-the-first-half-of-2023/
The highest number of registered kidnappings was in 2023, with 338 total cases https://www.statista.com/statistics/1379546/number-registered-kidnapping-cases-colombia/
Additional Context:
Many kidnappings are linked to dating apps and arranged meetings https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-68022288
The U.S. State Department maintains a Level 3 Travel Advisory ("Reconsider Travel") for Colombia due to kidnapping risks https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/colombia-travel-advisory.html
Important Note: While these are the documented cases, there may be unreported incidents. The U.S. Embassy continues to warn citizens about the risks of kidnapping and crime in Colombia.
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