Word on the Streets of Cartagena

More stories from the streets of Cartagena. HCNs are saying that the SS agents refused to pay the young ladies (?) for the ‘services’ they performed when they found that they were transvestites! I doubt that is true. It appears that one lone SS agent ‘overslept’ and when his ‘guest’ wasn’t out of his room at 7 a.m. in accordance to rules of the hotel, the police were called (the agent didn’t answer his door) and then the police, as required, reported the incident to the Embassy and all ‘hell broke loose!.”

Much more serious (for the Peace Corps) is the belief within the PCV Community of Colombia that the Ambassador may have played a role in keeping the President away from the Volunteers. The Embassy has never been happy about the Peace Corps being back in Colombia. They, for example, restrict Volunteer travel, keep their thumb down on anything that PCVs do in-country.

Volunteers were also miffed that Secretary Clinton went bar hopping and dancing but didn’t have time to meet them, especially since Colombia was the first country to request Volunteers 50+ years ago. JFK even visited with the Volunteers on December 17, 1961 when he was in Colombia, and after 30 years PCVs are back in Colombia teaching English as part of the newly signed Free Trade Agreement that begins next month. Yeah, lets show a little respect for the PCVs!

As for the SS agents. The word now in local papers in Cartagena is that the Colombian FARC (guerrillas) may have played a role in offering the ladies to the agents. Not a single shot was fired, but the FARC was able to upset Obama and made Americans look like fools. Yes, maybe, but I already heard Secret Service Agents have this saying when they are on overseas assignments: “Wheels up, Rings Off!”