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MEDELLÍN, COLOMBIA — Behind the Instagram-worthy sunsets, rooftop bars, and digital nomad cafés of Colombia's second-largest city lies a crisis that Mayor Federico Gutiérrez and local authorities have been accused of systematically downplaying: Medellín has become the deadliest city on earth for foreign tourists.

Over the past two years, at least 61 foreign tourists died in Medellín in 2024 alone, with 39 of those classified as violent deaths. By April 2025, another 17 foreign nationals had perished in the metropolitan area. Since 2022, over 80 foreigners have died under suspicious circumstances — many linked to dating apps, nightlife encounters, and the weaponized use of scopolamine, a powerful drug known locally as "Devil's Breath."

No other city in the world comes close to these numbers when it comes to tourist fatalities. While cities like Cancún, Cape Town, and Bangkok have all faced scrutiny over tourist safety, none have produced a body count anywhere near what Medellín has documented in just 24 months. And experts warn the real toll is almost certainly far higher than what official records reflect.

A Foreign Tourist Dying Every Single Week

Newsweek reported in mid-2024 that a foreign tourist was dying in Medellín approximately every single week. Channel 4 News's investigation found that locals believe the real figure could be much higher than the 80-plus officially documented deaths since 2022.

The numbers have climbed sharply year over year. In 2022, an estimated 22 foreigners died. That number jumped 41 percent to at least 31 in 2023, including 8 Americans killed in just November and December of that year. Then came 2024's staggering toll of 61 deaths — roughly one foreign tourist death every six days.

Foreign tourist deaths in Medellín have surged dramatically since 2022, with 2024 marking the deadliest year on record.

Americans Are the Primary Targets

U.S. citizens constitute the single largest group of foreign victims. In 2025 alone, 8 of the 17 documented foreign deaths were Americans. Other nationalities affected include citizens of the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, South Korea, Italy, France, Spain, Canada, Ireland, and Israel. The breadth of nationalities underscores that any foreigner visiting Medellín is a potential target — but Americans, who make up the largest share of the city's tourist population, bear the heaviest losses.

Americans account for 47% of foreign deaths in Medellín in early 2025, but victims come from at least a dozen countries.