Narcotourism in Medellin: a challenge to Colombia’s international image and human security

Abstract

The strong presence of drug trafficking in Colombia, especially in Medellín with the figure of Pablo Escobar, has left deep marks on the country’s international image. In the last decade, the city has undergone a process of identity reinterpretation, driven by memory tourism. In this context, this study seeks to analyze how drug tourism impacts the country’s international image and human security dynamics. Thus, it uses the lens of Securitization Theory and human security as a reference. Therefore, the overall objective is to understand how the exploitation of the memory of drug trafficking shapes external narratives about Medellín and how it affects its population. To this end, the time frame from 2015 to 2023 is justified by the launch of the series Narcos (Netflix, 2015), which projected the city’s image and elements of soft power, and by the Peace Agreement with the FARC (2016), marking the post-conflict period. Furthermore, the research adopts a qualitative methodology based on documentary analysis and bibliographic review, using national and international news reports. Thus, the expected result is to show that drug tourism reinforces stigmas associated with violence, limiting the diversification of Colombia’s international image and sensationalizing the memory of the local population.