Reply #1: The wonders of Medellin

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Colombia's second largest city Medellin calls in help from the national government Wednesday after massive warfare between gangs paralyzed the city's west.

Mayor Alonso Salazar called on newly sworn-in Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos to speed up the process to elect a new Prosecutor General, who can adopt special measures to help local authorities fight the soaring murder rate.

Salazar visited the troubled San Javier neighborhood in the west of the city where on Tuesday several members of one gang were executed and combat between the gangs broke out in the streets. The violence forced inhabitants to stay inside, locked 250 children inside their school and forced public transport to be suspended until way after midnight.

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Story in El Tiempo says there are at least 140 armed gangs in Medellin. They are fighting for control of cocaine trafficking, extorsion and other low-life trades. The gangs belong to the two warring factions of The Office of Envigado.