Colombia Culture Characteristics

According to Merriam-Webster, the term “Culture” can be defined as, “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group”. Every country has a different culture, or differing sets of beliefs, social forms, and material traits that make their country or region unique. At the same time, some cultures overlap because of ancestry, roots from different countries, which inherently molds the people of the country. The Republic of Colombia, commonly referred to as Colombia, is a melting pot of various cultures -- which has greatly impacted its society and the residents of the country.

Culture has 5 major characteristics that define, or make-up, the meaning of the word. The five characteristics are; culture

Since the early 1970’s, Colombia has been home to extremely violent and sophisticated drug trafficking organizations. At the center of the drug trafficking organizations are groups, which are referred to as “cartels”. One of the most infamous cartels, called the Medellin Cartel, was at forefront of the cocaine trade with the United States. Pablo Escobar, the man who was the head of the cartel, was considered to be one of the richest men in the world and one of the most wanted fugitives (LA Times). Due to his heightened status, Pablo Escobar was involved with in a “shootout”, which ultimately led to his death. Involved in this 1993 bloodbath were Colombian soldiers, Colombian government officials, and local law enforcement (LA Times). Due to the overwhelming amount of cocaine and other illegal drugs that are manufactured in Colombia, the Colombian government and military has worked diligently and tirelessly to achieve an economy that is not centered around illegal drugs. Although drug trafficking is still a huge issue in the country, military officials are dedicated to seizing and destroying cocaine laboratories whenever they are found (ABS-CBN). Recently, the Colombian Navy intercepted a vessel that was meant for Belgium -- the vessel was carrying 5.3 tons of drugs (Dialogo). By remaining steadfast in their practices, the Colombian military and government is able to help keep Colombian culture alive and well -- and keeping the residents of Colombian