Colombia's 1993 Blackout: When Darkness Changed a Nation

Colombia's 1993 Blackout: When Darkness Changed a Nation

In 1993, Colombia was plunged into darkness as a severe drought crippled the country's hydroelectric grid, leading to daily rolling blackouts that lasted up to 18 hours. This episode explores how the crisis unfolded under President César Gaviria's administration, the government's drastic 'Apagar para Vivir' (Turn Off to Live) campaign, and the long-term consequences that reshaped energy policy, public behavior, and even the peace process with drug cartels. We delve into the role of El Niño, the mismanagement of the state energy company ISA, and the surprising resilience of Colombians who adapted with candles, generators, and a new sense of community. The blackout also exposed deep inequalities—wealthy neighborhoods had generators, while poorer ones suffered in silence. It's a story of vulnerability and adaptation, a turning point that forced Colombia to rethink its relationship with energy and nature. #Colombia #1993Blackout #ApagarParaVivir #CésarGaviria #ElNiño #HydroelectricCrisis #EnergyPolicy #RollingBlackouts #ISA #Bogotá #Medellín #Cali #Drought #Resilience #LatinAmerica #Environment #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Cartagena's Black Saints: Afro-Colombian Resistance and the Inquisition

In this episode, we delve into the vibrant yet perilous world of Cartagena de Indias during the colonial era, where Afro-Colombian resistance and spirituality converged. We explore the story of Paula de Eguiluz, a healer and fugitive who faced the Inquisition multiple times, and the formation of palenques like San Basilio, led by Benkos Biohó. The conversation uncovers how enslaved Africans preserved their cultures, practiced cimarronaje (marronage), and blended Catholicism with African traditions to create unique identities. We also examine the role of the Santo Oficio (Inquisition) in Cartagena, its persecution of 'witchcraft' and 'blasphemy,' and how Afro-Colombians navigated this oppressive system. This episode offers a nuanced look at resistance, faith, and survival in one of the Spanish Empire's key ports, tying in broader themes of colonialism and cultural synthesis. #Cartagena #AfroColombian #Inquisition #PaulaDeEguiluz #BenkosBioho #SanBasilioDePalenque #Palenquero #Cimarrones #SantoOficio #ColonialColombia #Resistance #Slavery #AfricanDiaspora #History #FexingoHistory #SouthAmerica #Colombia #CartagenaDeIndias Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Cartagena's Inquisition: Faith, Fear, and Afro-Colombian Resistance

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the shadow of the Holy Office in Cartagena de Indias, focusing on a single, remarkable figure: Paula de Eguiluz, an Afro-Caribbean woman who faced the Inquisition three times and survived. Through her story, they uncover how the Inquisition operated in colonial Colombia—not just as an instrument of religious orthodoxy, but as a tool of social control, especially over Africans and their descendants. They discuss the court's location in the former Palace of the Inquisition on the Plaza de Bolívar, the kinds of charges that brought people before it (bigamy, blasphemy, witchcraft), and how enslaved and free people of color navigated or resisted its authority. The episode also touches on San Basilio de Palenque, founded by escaped slaves (cimarrones) under Benkos Biohó, as a living example of Afro-Colombian defiance. By centering Paula de Eguiluz's life, they reveal a hidden history of survival, syncretism, and resilience within the walls of Cartagena. #Cartagena #Inquisition #PaulaDeEguiluz #AfroColombian #BenkosBioho #SanBasilioDePalenque #Cimarrones #Colombia #ColonialHistory #SantoOficio #WitchcraftTrials #Resistance #Syncretism #History #FexingoHistory #SouthAmerica #NewGranada #SpanishEmpire Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Cartagena's 1741 Battle: Vernon vs. Blas de Lezo

In 1741, the British Empire sent its largest naval expedition of the 18th century to seize Cartagena de Indias, the jewel of Spain's New World empire. This episode tells the story of the Battle of Cartagena, where a one-legged, one-eyed, one-armed Spanish admiral named Blas de Lezo faced off against Admiral Edward Vernon and 27,000 British sailors and soldiers. We explore how yellow fever, mangroves, and the fortress walls of San Felipe de Barajas combined to produce one of history's most stunning defensive victories. The battle reshaped the balance of power in the Caribbean and cemented Spain's hold on its colonies. We also look at the Siege of Cartagena in 1741 through the eyes of the enslaved Africans and free people of color who fought on both sides, and how the aftermath influenced British naval strategy. Plus, a brief sidebar on how a single bottle of rum nearly changed the outcome. #BlasDeLezo #BattleOfCartagena #AdmiralVernon #SiegeOf1741 #CartagenaDeIndias #SpanishEmpire #WarOfJenkinsEar #CastilloDeSanFelipe #CaribbeanHistory #NavalHistory #ColonialHistory #AfroColombianHistory #YellowFever #18thCentury #SouthAmerica #Colombia #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Cartagena's Black Saints: Afro-Colombian Resistance and the Inquisition

In 1608, a runaway African slave named Benkos Biohó founded San Basilio de Palenque, a fortified settlement deep in the swamps of Cartagena's hinterland. Over the next century, this community of cimarrones—escaped slaves—fought off Spanish expeditions, forged alliances with indigenous groups, and built a culture that survives to this day. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the life of Benkos Biohó, the tactics of palenquero resistance, and the extraordinary story of Paula de Eguiluz, a black woman who faced the Inquisition three times and survived. They also examine the Virgen de la Candelaria, a black Madonna venerated in Cartagena, and the role of palenquero language and music as tools of defiance. How did Afro-Colombians carve out freedom in a slave society? What can the palenqueros teach us about resistance, faith, and identity? This is a story of courage, creativity, and survival against overwhelming odds. #BenkosBiohó #CartagenaDeIndias #SanBasilioDePalenque #Cimarrones #Palenquero #PaulaDeEguiluz #Inquisition #VirgenDeLaCandelaria #AfroColombian #Slavery #ColombianHistory #Cartagena #BlackSaints #Resistance #ColonialEra #SouthAmerica #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]