In todays El Tiempo (9/15) there are several articles about President Uribe's Decree 2002 which include a bunch of "control measures". These new measures apply to half the country and include Valle, where Cali is located. One of them is about foreigners:
"Control a extranjeros
Las nuevas normas establecen que todo ciudadano extranjero que permanezca en Colombia deberá presentarse ante los gobernadores respectivos a explicar el motivo de su presencia y solicitar un permiso de esa unidad para permanecer en la región.
Sobre su tránsito y permanencia en las zonas de Rehabilitación y Consolidación, los extranjeros deberán informar cuál es el motivo de su movilización por el lugar. La autoridad militar de la zona tendrá ocho días para definir si autoriza o no su presencia.
Si no se presentan a la guarnición militar o no logran explicar satisfactoriamente la razón de su visita, podrán ser expulsados del país.
Las normas cobijarán a corresponsales de prensa extranjera, trabajadores de multinacionales, representantes de ONG, investigadores, científicos y turistas."
I wonder how this will shake out for us. It sounds really cumbersome and maybe they don't plan to apply it to Cali, just the rest of Valle. One security agent who works at the airport told me an average of a hundred Americans pass through daily and that doesn't include all the other foreigners. In a nutshell it says every foreigner who stays in Colombia has to present himself to the Governor, explain his motive for being there and ask for permission. The local military authority will have eight days to decide yes or no. If you don't present yourself to the military authority or don't give them a satisfactory explanation for your presence you can be expelled. Applies to international workers, UN representatives, investigators, scientists and last but not least TOURISTS.
