Colombia: Massacre in Medellin Harks Back to Pablo Escobar Era

Shootings with more than one victim aren't unusual in the Medellin area, where a war raging between drug trafficking gangs has pushed the numbers for the metropolitan area to over 2,000 fatalities in 2009 and well over 1,000 so far this year. Such figures are a stark reminder of the days when the cartels ruled Colombia and morgues were overflowing with corpses of young men. While recent statistics are still far from the record levels reached during that epoch, the rising tally is worrisome, reversing the previous trend which saw falling numbers, treading around 800 in 2007, a total comparable to any major American city.

What's unusual about the Envigado massacre is the indiscriminate way in which the killers sprayed the bar with bullets, something not seen since the days of Pablo Escobar in this city, which has the dubious honor of having been the drug kingpin's central during the 80's. According to police, the intended target, a drug trafficker wanted by the law, escaped the scene unharmed and has apparently voluntarily surrendered to the police, seeking protection from those who wish him dead. Police say the Envigado shooting was part of the ongoing territorial war between "Sebastian" and "Valenciano", leaders of two major gangs. US and Colombian authorities are offering multi-million dollar ransoms for their capture.

The incident has provoked a strong reaction from the president, Alvaro Uribe, who promised immediate action to hunt down members of criminal gangs in Colombia, particularly in the Medellin area.

For more insights into what's happening in Medellin and Colombia, visit O Colombia.