Scott C. Johnson
The article discusses conditions in the city of Buenaventura, Colombia. It is a violent locale where armed gangs commit murder, kidnapping, extortion, and other crimes as they maintain control of significant portions of the city's waterfront. The author portrays Buenaventura as a consequence of the government's long guerrilla war with the rebel group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). For years the battle against FARC, coupled with government inattention, created a situation where gangs could operate in Buenaventura with impunity.