There are some places in the city of Medellín where you might feel scared, for example when walking through the historic center, otherwise known as El Centro or La Candelaria.
In ways the area is striking. El Centro was once the true heart of the city, and its obvious when looking at the preserved architecture of its historic streets. Yet, the former glory of this part of town is no more. Signs of impoverishment are everywhere.
It is very common for homeless to ask for money, and people often look for food scraps in the garbage and recyclable materials to sell and generate some money. These are mostly people who have drug or other mental health problems, and most are unemployed and live on the street. In these precarious conditions, they survive on less than a dollar a day.
Medellín’s society is very diverse. There is a very dynamic middle and working class. However, despite the progress made with the urban and social transformation of the last twenty years, there are still high levels of poverty and inequalities, so it is logical to think that for peace and progress to be sustainable over time, it is essential to continue making progress on these issues and to lift these people out of extreme poverty.