Medellin cut murders from 266 to 23 per 100,000 and is still one of Colombia’s most unequal cities
Hook
In 1991 Medellin recorded 7,273 murders. In 2017 it recorded 577. In between it built cable cars and an outdoor escalator into its poorest hills.
Claim
Cities can turn around fast when the state shows up with transit and public space, and still keep deep inequality.
Story
In 1991 Medellin recorded 7,273 murders, a rate of 266 per 100,000. By 2017 it recorded 577, or 23 per 100,000, a 95 percent fall. Metrocable gondolas have connected hillside neighbourhoods since 2004, and an outdoor escalator about 1,260 feet long opened in Comuna 13 on 26 December 2011. The Wall Street Journal named it Innovative City of the Year in March 2013. In 2014 its Gini of 0.506 still made it one of Colombia’s most unequal cities.
Sources
- Medellin, Wikipedia (7,273 murders in 1991, 577 in 2017, MetroCable 2004, escalator 2011, WSJ 2013, Gini 0.506 in 2014)
Check before posting
- The page credits unnamed “innovative mayors” and does not mention Sergio Fajardo. Do not attribute the turnaround to a person until sourced.
- Violence fell for many reasons, including the end of the cartel era. Do not credit transit alone.
- Needs a person-level story (a resident of Comuna 13, a mayor).
Counterargument
A showpiece escalator can be a photo opportunity while inequality persists.
Post angles
Facebook (Croatian)
- Medellin je 1991. imao 7.273 ubojstva, a 2017. njih 577. To je pad s 266 na 23 na 100.000 stanovnika. U međuvremenu su gradili gondole i pokretne stepenice do siromašnih brdskih četvrti. Što bi naš grad napravio da najudaljeniji kvart dobije vezu?
- I danas je Medellin među najnejednakijim gradovima Kolumbije. Nije priča o savršenstvu, nego o smjeru.
LinkedIn (English)
- Medellin: murders from 266 to 23 per 100,000 in 26 years. The lesson I take: put the public thing, a gondola or an escalator, in the poorest district first. Other factors, such as the end of the cartel era, also played a part.
- Same city, 2014: still one of Colombia’s most unequal. Safety and equality are different outcomes.