The commodification of narco-violence through popular culture and tourism in Medellin, Colombia

In Colombia, narco-violence is memorialized in diverse and fragmented ways. While public bodies are generally reluctant to feature this dark heritage, tourism and popular culture are important vehicles in the diffusion of such memorial elements. The country is the cradle of many cultural productions, ranging from literature and narco-novelas (novels) to narco-soaps (soap-operas), that highlight the memory of the narco-trade. At global and local levels, the cinema industry is similarly cashing in on this subject, through the production of Colombian and international films. The flourishing tourism sector is another important channel of diffusion, especially in Medellin where the history of the Medellin cartel and its boss Pablo Escobar are now centre stage. This contribution aims to explore how popular culture and tourism participate in the memorialization of this dissonant and violent heritage and contribute to the commodification of violence. It is postulated that, outside the scope of public museums and memorials, they represent an alternative and more organic way of memorializing violence.