The demonstrations have attracted large crowds in Cali, Barranquilla, Santander and other Colombian cities.

BBC: Colombians march in support of Farc peace talks

Armenia, Barranquilla, Bogota, Cali, Cartagena, Manizales, Medellin and Pereira are the cities chosen to host the tournament.

BBC: African quartet set for U20 World Cup

Rada Ramel Assad, born in Barranquilla, Colombia and Abouchanab Daichoum Dani who is the organizer of the group.

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The road between Barranquilla and Cartagena has also been sliced in two.

ECONOMIST: Endless rain exacts a heavy toll

The Colombian Air Force said that the Bell 212 helicopter was on a transportation mission from Barranquilla to Caucasia when it went down.

CNN: Colombian Air Force helicopter crashes, killing 13

Every year during the four days before Lent, the Carnival de Barranquilla offers a repertory of dances and musical expressions originating from different Colombian sub-cultures.

UNESCO: Intangible Cultural Heritage

Colombian physical trainer Diego Barragan has considerable experience of getting teams ready for the trip up the Andes to Bogota, or to the sweltering port of Barranquilla.

BBC: Tim Vickery column