Beyond Bogota: Diary of a Drug War Journalist in Colombia (Hardcover)

by Garry Leech (Author)
Key Phrases: Caño Limón, coca pickers, fumigation campaign, Plan Colombia, United States, Puerto Asís (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
In this arresting hybrid of journalism and memoir Leech relates his experiences investigating political, economic, and drug-related stories throughout Latin America. The narrative is organized into 11 chapters, which parallel the 11 hours Leech was detained by the FARC, a Colombian guerrilla group, in 2006. Each chapter begins with details of Leech's captivity, which serve as introductions to broader stories, including the civil unrest and massacres in 1980s El Salvador; his meetings with government officials and paramilitary and guerrilla groups vying for power in Panama, Colombia, and other nearby countries; and the wavering effectiveness of the U.S. war on drugs. Along the way, Leech highlights the rampant human-rights violations in the region, the fumigation of cocaine plants, which also destroys other crops, and the large displaced civilian populations often caught in the cross fire. This enlightening book, which mixes a readable level of detail and background with personal narrative, should be in every library, public and academic.—Sarah Statz Cords, Reader's Advisor Online
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"In this remarkable saga, Garry Leech conveys brilliantly and with vivid insight the magical qualities of this rich and tortured land, and the struggles and torment of its people . . . inspiring in their courage and dedication in the face of terror from within and from outside. Leech shows how our insatiable greed and easy resort to violence play no small part."
—Noam Chomsky

 

"Garry Leech belongs in the company of a handful of war correspondents—Patrick Cockburn, Robert Fisk, Christian Parenti—who have been risking life and limb to bring to light the catastrophic human and environmental consequences of U.S. foreign policy. In prose that is clear, calm, and vivid, Leech relates the harrowing experience of being kidnapped by the largest rebel group in America's forgotten war in Colombia. Beyond Bogotá is thus an extraordinary portrait of grace under pressure-not only of the author himself, but of ordinary Colombians fighting for social justice and a negotiated peace to total war. Leech's unforgettable story is part of their story, and part of ours as well."
—Forrest Hylton, author of Evil Hour in Colombia

 

"If you really want to know what life is like for rural Colombians who are living through the horrors of the country's brutal-and under-reported-internal conflict, read this book. Having reported from Colombia myself, I can vouch for Garry Leech's honesty-and bravery. This no-frills book grips you from first page to the last."

—Sue Branford, journalist, former Latin American analyst for BCC World Service and co-author of Chemical Warfare in Colombia: The Costs of Coca Fumigation

 

"Leech's Beyond Bogotá is critical to understanding the so-called 'War on Drugs' waged by the U.S. government in Colombia. To hear the government line about U.S. involvement in Colombia, stay tuned to the establishment media. If you want the truth about the reality on the ground there, read this book."
—Dahr Jamail, author of Beyond the Green Zone: Dispatches from an Unembedded Journalist in Occupied Iraq

 

"Garry Leech has seen more of Colombia than almost anyone, often at great personal risk. In Beyond Bogotá, a gripping and inspired book, he tells us what he saw and heard. Leech has created an essential volume for anyone who wants to understand Colombia's conflict, or indeed the U.S. role in Latin America."
—Adam Isacson, Director of Programs, Center for International Policy (Washington DC)

 

“[S]uspense and drama remain present throughout the book …. [Leech] writes with the raw passion and vivid energy of a wartime correspondent who regularly risks his life to cover stories ignored by major international media outlets. While most writers on Colombia only talk abstractly about policy, Leech goes into villages, speaks with people on the front lines and peels back the skin. . . . Demonstrating considerable courage and persistence, Leech managed to visit the hottest areas of Colombia’s conflict, survive shootouts and detentions, interview high-ranking leaders of the FARC and the AUC (United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia) and visit coca farms and cocaine labs. He describes all this with compelling narrative and evocative characters, taking the reader with him on his investigative adventures. While his descriptive ability makes the reading enjoyable, it is his conclusions that leave the strongest impression....This book is an excellent way to familiarize oneself with a multifaceted conflict that sadly shows no sign of letting up soon.”

—Truthdig

 

"Eye-opening look at the drug war in Colombia . . . Excellent reportage—highly recommended for would-be journalists as well as those interested in geopolitics."

—Kirkus Reviews

 

"In this arresting hybrid of journalism and memoir Leech relates his experiences investigating political, economic, and drug-related stories throughout Latin America. . . This enlightening book, which mixes a readable level of detail and background with personal narrative, should be in every library, public and academic."

—Library Journal

 

"Exciting . . . enlightening . . . journalism in its purest form."

—London Progressive Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Hardcover: 268 pages Publisher: Beacon Press (January 1, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 080706145X ISBN-13: 978-0807061459 Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #544,503 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in this category: (What's this?) #57 in  Books > History > Americas > South America > Colombia

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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
Caño Limón, coca pickers, fumigation campaign, camouflage combat fatigues, aerial fumigations, coca bushes, coca crops, coca paste, displaced villagers, coca farmers, coca cultivation, motorized canoe, coca fields

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Plan Colombia, United States, Puerto Asís, The Seventh Hour, Latin America, The Eighth Hour, President Uribe, The Tenth Hour, The Ninth Hour, The Fifth Hour, The Sixth Hour, Operation New Year, The Second Hour, The Fourth Hour, San Vicente, The Third Hour, Arauca City, Los Angeles, San Miguel, Army Special Forces, Self-Defense Forces, Panama City, The Eleventh Hour, Atrato River, Radio Resistencia

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	89% buy the item featured on this page: Beyond Bogota: Diary of a Drug War Journalist in Colombia 4.3 out of 5 stars (6) $18.94
	7% buy More Terrible Than Death: Drugs, Violence, and America's War in Colombia 4.5 out of 5 stars (20) $14.41
	2% buy Colombia and the United States : War, Unrest, and Destabilization (Open Media) 3.8 out of 5 stars (5) $9.86
	1% buy Out of Captivity: Surviving 1,967 Days in the Colombian Jungle 4.6 out of 5 stars (68) $17.81

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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews 5 star:  (4) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.3 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 4 of 6 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Courage Under Detention, March 2, 2009 By  Brian Kodi - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)       Mr. Leech has been on a multi-year mission to report on the U.S. government's "escalating role in Colombia's civil conflict and military interventions", and on the atrocities committed in Colombia's war on drugs and the FARC, Colombia's largest leftist guerrilla group. To accomplish this goal, Mr. Leech has spent most of his time in rural areas and outside of the relatively safe capital of Colombia, Bogota, where most mainstream foreign media confine themselves to. Mr. Leech believes the mainstream media report news that is predominantly influenced by the Colombian government and military, the U.S. embassy, and business elites. Once again, as has been the case in numerous other countries both in South America and elsewhere, Washington's foreign policies are rife with militaristic reactions to undesirable conditions such as coca cultivation, and there is little done in the way of addressing the root causes of rampant illegal cocaine production and distribution which are almost always social and economic in nature. Thrown into the mix is the ill conceived and aggressive displacement of locals, often by the paramilitary forces to pave the way for multinational corporations to conduct their operations, e.g. Occidental Petroleum, Drummond Company Inc. et al. As a result, Colombia is host to the world's worst population displacement conundrum. Five billion dollars of aid and eight years of the controversial Plan Colombia announced by then president Bill Clinton has failed to reduce cocaine production. Plan Colombia was originally proposed by Colombian President Andres Pastrana in 1999. With the U.S. involvement and aid to Colombia's government, the focus quickly shifted to counternarcotics and the strengthening and utilization of military forces. Unfortunately, Mr. Leech comes across as a FARC sympathizer, and his coverage of the crimes perpetrated during the decades old war between the FARC and the Colombian government and paramilitary forces is lopsided. An armed struggle against any government almost always leaves all parties, including innocent bystanders worse off. Mr. Leech's stories are told in the backdrop of his capture and eleven hour detention by the FARC, in a simple diary format. Whether one agrees with his scathing criticism of the U.S. and Colombian government policies or not, Mr. Leech deserves much respect for his courageous journalistic effort with great personal sacrifice and risk to his life. 2 of 3 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars I only wish he'd written it earlier, February 25, 2009 By  Caminante (New York (State)) - See all my reviews I am writing my capstone paper on the War on Drugs in the Andes, and a classmate reccomended this book. I wish Leech had written it earlier, because I was looking all over for a decent summary on the War on Drugs in Colombia, and now one shows up just when I have finished the history section of the paper. At any rate, Leech provides excellent information about FARC, the paramilitaries, a mining company called Drummond, coca fumigation, the links between the Colombian army and the paramilitaries, the mainstream media, indigenous people and campesinos...and probably more that I can't remember off the top of my head. He has interviewed quite a few members of most groups (the exception being the mining company), so one gets a good feel for the attitudes of the people involved. What I find most interesting is Leech's assesment of the mainstream media. He says that most journalists to not venture far from Bogota, and so do not get the perspectives of those living in the more remote regions. He also charges (and I think rightly) that the mainstream media has paid more attention to FARC than the paramilitaries, who have done most of the killings and abuses(although he, again rightly, does not excuse FARC for committing its share of the killings and abuses). I have found this book to be quite helpful, and reccomend it highly to anyone else who wants to learn about Colombia. 0 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Colombia Today, April 12, 2009 By  Jerry T. Estruth (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    I think this is a very good book about conditions in the Zonas today. A few stories seem anecdotal but by and large, it describes Colombia very well. It hasn't changed much in 40 years.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible!! I would love to just sit down with the author and talk to him about his time in Colombia. This book ranks up there with the best. Read It!!! Published 1 month ago by A. J. Williams 2.0 out of 5 stars Mostly waste of time I start loosing interest in Garry Leech book in the second chapter, when in an effort to illustrate horrors, committed by Salvadorian army(supported by USA) fighting communist... Read more Published 4 months ago by N. Yakubovich 5.0 out of 5 stars Great book I was fascinated by this book. Gary Leech goes into the hinterlands of Colombia and reports from where most journalists fear to tread. Published 4 months ago by Charles Clifton Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 268 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press (January 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080706145X
• ISBN-13: 978-0807061459
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #544,503 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #57 in

  Books > History > Americas > South America > Colombia

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courage Under Detention, March 2, 2009

By	Brian Kodi - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Mr. Leech has been on a multi-year mission to report on the U.S. government's "escalating role in Colombia's civil conflict and military interventions", and on the atrocities committed in Colombia's war on drugs and the FARC, Colombia's largest leftist guerrilla group. To accomplish this goal, Mr. Leech has spent most of his time in rural areas and outside of the relatively safe capital of Colombia, Bogota, where most mainstream foreign media confine themselves to. Mr. Leech believes the mainstream media report news that is predominantly influenced by the Colombian government and military, the U.S. embassy, and business elites.

Once again, as has been the case in numerous other countries both in South America and elsewhere, Washington's foreign policies are rife with militaristic reactions to undesirable conditions such as coca cultivation, and there is little done in the way of addressing the root causes of rampant illegal cocaine production and distribution which are almost always social and economic in nature. Thrown into the mix is the ill conceived and aggressive displacement of locals, often by the paramilitary forces to pave the way for multinational corporations to conduct their operations, e.g. Occidental Petroleum, Drummond Company Inc. et al. As a result, Colombia is host to the world's worst population displacement conundrum.

Five billion dollars of aid and eight years of the controversial Plan Colombia announced by then president Bill Clinton has failed to reduce cocaine production. Plan Colombia was originally proposed by Colombian President Andres Pastrana in 1999. With the U.S. involvement and aid to Colombia's government, the focus quickly shifted to counternarcotics and the strengthening and utilization of military forces.

Unfortunately, Mr. Leech comes across as a FARC sympathizer, and his coverage of the crimes perpetrated during the decades old war between the FARC and the Colombian government and paramilitary forces is lopsided. An armed struggle against any government almost always leaves all parties, including innocent bystanders worse off.

Mr. Leech's stories are told in the backdrop of his capture and eleven hour detention by the FARC, in a simple diary format. Whether one agrees with his scathing criticism of the U.S. and Colombian government policies or not, Mr. Leech deserves much respect for his courageous journalistic effort with great personal sacrifice and risk to his life.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I only wish he'd written it earlier, February 25, 2009

By	Caminante (New York (State)) - See all my reviews

I am writing my capstone paper on the War on Drugs in the Andes, and a classmate reccomended this book. I wish Leech had written it earlier, because I was looking all over for a decent summary on the War on Drugs in Colombia, and now one shows up just when I have finished the history section of the paper.

At any rate, Leech provides excellent information about FARC, the paramilitaries, a mining company called Drummond, coca fumigation, the links between the Colombian army and the paramilitaries, the mainstream media, indigenous people and campesinos...and probably more that I can't remember off the top of my head. He has interviewed quite a few members of most groups (the exception being the mining company), so one gets a good feel for the attitudes of the people involved.

What I find most interesting is Leech's assesment of the mainstream media. He says that most journalists to not venture far from Bogota, and so do not get the perspectives of those living in the more remote regions. He also charges (and I think rightly) that the mainstream media has paid more attention to FARC than the paramilitaries, who have done most of the killings and abuses(although he, again rightly, does not excuse FARC for committing its share of the killings and abuses).

I have found this book to be quite helpful, and reccomend it highly to anyone else who wants to learn about Colombia.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Colombia Today, April 12, 2009

By	Jerry T. Estruth (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I think this is a very good book about conditions in the Zonas today. A few stories seem anecdotal but by and large, it describes Colombia very well. It hasn't changed much in 40 years.