A highway, a barrio, the rich, and the poor

The Panamanian government is angling to fill in the sea around the 17th century walled fortifications of Panama City's Casco Viejo in order to build a highway. Architectural images resemble the fill-in and highway that wrap around the walled city of Cartagena, Colombia. The government promises jobs for the poor and an untrammeled Casco Viejo. Residents of the old town, who include some expats, worry that this UNESCO recognized neighborhood may not survive intact. They allege that the national government is paying poor residents to protest, whipping up class divisions, all while they say the highway is a pet project of the president's in order to turn some of the former supermarket tycoon's investments into gold.

TransMilenio, To Thee I Sing

I can now die a happy man, for I've ridden TransMilenio, Bogota's bus rapid transit system. Not the first, but probably the best, TM covers over 80 km and makes Bogatanos swell with pride. In fact, our friend Carolina had two 10-trip passes ready for us when we arrived last week. Its fleet also appears on a clear majority of tourist t-shirts and postcards.

The system is so central to this city's future and urban development that the current mayor was sacked and suspended for 3 months due to alleged corruption involving bids for new lines. Nevertheless, TM can get you from the Norte to El Centro in half the time that a taxi would take and the system costs a fraction of what Medellin laid down for its subway system.

Sácalo!

Wow, I know he's a pretty unpopular guy but who knew a Colombian judge could just take the mayor of Bogotá, Samuel Moreno, out of office for 3 months while he looks into a growing corruption scandal? Doesn't the city council have some autonomy on such issues?

The scandal relates to the awarding of contracts for the city's once highly regarded Transmilenio bus rapid transit system, whose service has deteriorated under Moreno. In fact, the misdeed the mayor is accused of is awarding millions in contracts for more lines for the taxed system which remain unbuilt.

While the order, which Moreno says he'll comply with, states that the caretaker mayor must come from Moreno's own party, President Santos has appointed his own Education secretary to the role in the meantime. Strange dealings.

To get The Economist's take on Samuel Moreno read here.

Danger ahead

Where poor construction standards and earthquakes could spell disaster. From the NYT:

"Those mapped here have more than one million people and large districts of poorly constructed housing typical of poverty-stricken cities. Even moderate shaking in these places could result in the destruction of many buildings."