Mayor of Medellín, Colombia, bans prostitution in neighborhoods that are popular with tourists

BOGOTA (AP) — The mayor of Colombia’s second-largest city banned prostitution in some of the city’s most famous neighborhoods for six months Monday, arguing it was necessary to prevent the sexual exploitation of children.

Medellín’s Mayor Federico Gutiérrez said the ban will be enforced in Provenza and El Poblado, two neighborhoods teeming with trendy bars and clubs and frequented by thousands of tourists.

The neighborhoods have also become popular with sex workers who walk the streets in search of international clients. Gutiérrez said criminal networks are taking minors to these districts and forcing them into sex work.

“We have to recover the control of this area,” Gutiérrez said at a news conference. “It is also very important for us to protect the community.”