Is our President safe in Cartagena? Three explosions.

[mfcorey1]

The Associated Press

CARTAGENA, Colombia -- Colombian officials are reporting no injuries or damage from three small explosions as Western Hemisphere leaders arrived for a summit.

Two of the low-intensity blasts occurred in Cartagena where the summit is being held and one was close to the U.S. Embassy in Bogota.

The explosions occurred as more than 30 presidents and prime ministers arrived for the sixth Summit of the Americans.

A senior military official says two bags of gunpowder exploded in a vacant lot about a quarter mile (400 meters) from Cartagena's bus station Friday evening. The official spoke only on condition he not be further identified.

Bogota security officials say the third explosive device was set off near a tree in a drainage ditch near the U.S. Embassy, which is heavily fortified.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/13/2747408/3-small-blasts-in-colombia-no.html#storylink=cpy

[coalition_unwilling]

1. Why are 'bags of gunpowder' lying around? Weird, scary and I hope

not evidence of worse to come.

[Zorra]

2. No one is safe in Cartagena. Colombia is the SOA HQ/breeding grounds. nt

[HooptieWagon]

3. I was in Cartegena years ago

There were all kinds of bombings, kidnappings, and stuff in Bogota and Cali. And all kinds of leftist rebels and Rw death squads out in the jungle and mountains. State department gave us stern warning not to go.
Had a wonderful time. Cartegena is a beautiful and historic city. Perfectly safe... as my Colombian friends explained to me, Cartegena is a tourism town, all Colombians need the tourism money, so all sides agreed Cartegena was off limits for violence.
Now, I dont know how that plays at a world leader conference. World leaders arent tourists. Colombia as a whole is safer now, and Im sure there is plenty of security and Obama is staying at a safe location.

[lonestarnot]

4. And I thought I heard some crap about secret service (a few) being sent home for prostitutous

behavior. So is he short on protection? Hmmmf.

[HooptieWagon]

7. There is a prostitution legal zone in Cartegena.

One or more of the SS detail went there before Obama arrived. The entire team was replaced. Obama never had a moment without security present.

[lonestarnot]

8. Well after what happened to President Kennedy, I don't trust those fuckwads.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. If the multiple layers of security

Are breached, given the numbers of VIPs, not just ours, I will be quite frankly, shocked.

[HooptieWagon]

6. Obama is safer visiting Cartegena...

than he would be visiting an abortion clinic in the US.

[Honeycombe8]

9. Cartagena? Wasn't that the place in Romancing the Stone? nt

[HooptieWagon]

10. Yes. The fort is amazing. The monastary and cathedral are cool also.

The fort was in the movie.

[Moondog]

11. No. He isn't. No one else is either, but that isn't the point.

Cartagena isn't safe for anyone, particularly the people who live there. And that is why having an alert and on the ball security detail is so damned important.

[HooptieWagon]

12. Cartagena is safe.

It was Cali and Bogota that were dangerous.

[Moondog]

13. I'm not personally familiar with Cali

but seem to recall that there was a major cocaine cartel operating from there for a number of years. I agree with your take on Bogota. And disagree on Cartagena.

But perspective is everything. And when it comes to the personal security of the POTUS, I would rather err on the side of the angels.

[HooptieWagon]

15. Cali is in the south. Cocaine country. I still wouldnt go there.

Bogota is in the center, I think its much better now. Frontier border with Venezuela still dangerous, always has been. Cartegena has always been safe. Probably safest city in the Carribbean, Ponce PR might be close.

[Cleita]

14. No. I wouldn't go near there and I speak the language and

know the customs. No one is really safe there. Hopefully his security detail will stop chasing hookers and concentrate on the business at hand.