A Revolutionary Brewer: Transforming Colombia through Social Enterprises
On the first full day of a unique tour focused on social change, visitors explored various social enterprises in Colombia, including a coffee house, an ice cream stand, and a chocolate shop. Each establishment played a vital role in addressing the challenges posed by Colombia’s drug trade.
The coffee shop, for example, provides training for individuals who have moved to Bogotá after losing their land to drug cartels. Similarly, the ice cream stand offers a delicacy known as mambe, made with coca and ash, presenting farmers with a profitable alternative to cocaine production. The chocolate shop introduces cacao cultivation as another viable option for farmers historically tied to narcotraffickers.
Visitors enjoy coffee tasting at Bogotá’s Arte y Pasión Café, where rural Colombians displaced by narcos are trained as baristas.
That afternoon, attendees visited La Casa de la Paz, a brewery and coffee shop initiated by Doris Suarez, who spent 14 years as a guerrilla fighter with FARC before serving 15 additional years in prison following her decision to support the peace treaty. Her journey illustrates a transformation from conflict to community service.
Despite her renouncement of violence, Suarez’s political perspectives remain intact. Her brewery, La Trocha (Spanish for “the path”), symbolizes her view on the ongoing journey toward peace. “A path in the jungle will disappear if it’s not tended,” she states. “The peace treaty is the easy part. Maintaining peace is the challenge.”
During the visit, Suarez shared her experiences and thoughts with the group, which included two journalists, one connected to former President Juan Manuel Santos, who promoted the peace treaty, and another with a somewhat skeptical view of the government’s efforts. Both had substantial knowledge of Colombia’s turbulent history.
Suarez actively welcomed questions, expressing concerns about the government’s failure to honor commitments made to FARC and her belief that Colombia is not genuinely a democracy. She poignantly remarked, “We left weapons behind eight years ago, yet the issues persist. We must ask: is the problem us, or is it social injustice?”
Promoting the necessity of dialogue, she emphasized, “Why did we take up arms? Why did we become involved in drug trade? These are political, not criminal, issues. The peace process began when we were heard and respected.”
Looking ahead, Suarez harbors hope for a generation that can exist without the violence and strife she witnessed. “It’s better not to fight,” she concluded, underscoring a commitment to peace.
The day’s activities, from the ice cream shop to La Casa de la Paz, were organized by Rodrigo Atuesta, the Chief Impact Officer of Impulse Travel. He expressed optimism for a generation that has come of age in a post-treaty context, declaring, “We are focused on the present and the future, not the past.”
