If for many years the city was renowned as the "most dangerous city in the world," over the last two decades Medellín has undergone a profound transformation.

Since the late 1980s, the city's social context has been marked by extreme poverty, a result of deep social inequality, widespread violence, and criminal activity. Medellín served as a strategic hub for drug and weapons trafficking to and from western Colombia. This role as a center of narco-trafficking operations had a severe impact on the city's inhabitants, rendering parks, plazas, and public spaces practically inaccessible.

So-called “invisible borders”, arbitrarily imposed by “combos” (local criminal organizations), divided neighborhoods and communities. As a result, many young people were murdered—often without any direct involvement in the ongoing drug wars.

Beyond the problems caused by the strong presence of narco-trafficking, the city also suffered from social decline due to a lack of investment in education and limited opportunities for population development.

However, adequate funding combined with innovative social policies has driven the transformation that Medellín is now experiencing. A historic investment in public transportation—particularly in the metro, tram, and cable car systems—has reshaped the city's social fabric. “Transport changes the value and uses of territory, and at the same time benefits individual mobility and territorial accessibility” (David Harvey, 1973).

Previously isolated suburban communities, such as Santo Domingo, could now be integrated into Medellín, fostering a renewed sense of pride and belonging among its residents.

Today, Medellín presents an inspiring urban landscape, where its transformation unfolds in a new, inclusive way—offering solutions for the most vulnerable and marginalized, who now enjoy improved access to mobility, high-quality education, and ultimately, a sense of ownership over public spaces and green areas.