Cartagena’s iconic horse carriages give way to electric buggies : NPR

Cartagena, Colombia – Cartagena is located on Colombia’s Caribbean coast and has been one of the country’s most beloved destinations for decades.

Its historic center is surrounded by thick stone walls, built by the Spaniards to protect against pirates. Inside, narrow streets wind past sun-drenched plazas and colonial mansions, like a town scene from a movie.

The city is also famous for the horse-drawn buggies that ferry tourists through its streets; Their big-spoked wheels rumble on the pavement, and their open tops are perfect for a snapshot of Cartagena’s charm.

But romantic buggies will soon be outlawed by the city government. Which wants to replace them with electric vehicles due to concerns over animal welfare.

The move has angered horse carriage owners and conservatives, pitting them against animal rights activists and local officials who say there should be no place for horse carriages in a city that wants to portray itself as a global destination.

“It’s very sad,” says Cristian Muñoz, one of the traditional horse-drawn carriage drivers in Cartagena. “We are part of the heritage of this city, like the walls that surround it.”

Visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage site say the horse-drawn carriages are a fun way to get around in the scorching heat of Cartagena. And many appreciate the way the drivers tell the history of the colonial city.

But animal rights activists have long argued that these pleasure rides are terrible for the horses pulling the carriages, because of the stress the cars put on the horses on city streets. And pavement hurts horses’ knees, and hurts their feet.

Local animal rights activist Fanny Pachon says that on several occasions the horses have collapsed from exhaustion.

“Horses are herd animals and are designed to carry things,” she believes. “But they’re meant to be in rural areas, not in the middle of a city with paved roads.”

Alejandro Riaño, a popular comedian from Bogotá, has been lobbying the government of Cartagena to replace horse-drawn carriages for the past four years.

In 2021, they raised over $25,000 on a crowd funding site to build an electric vehicle that resembles a traditional horse-drawn buggy, but runs on battery power. The prototype was tested on city roads two years ago.

“We’ve shown that the technology now exists to do things differently,” he said.

After years of protests, the city is finally coming to terms with Riaño and animal rights activists.

On December 29, under a joint venture between the city government of Cartagena and Corpoturismo, the agency that promotes tourism in the city, traditional horse-drawn buggies will be banned, and replaced by a fleet of 62 electric carriages imported from China.

The new vehicles have large wheels and open tops, just like traditional buggies. But they are powered by larger batteries that can travel about 70 km (43 mi) on a single charge.

Instead of reins, there is a steering wheel in front for the driver. Newer carriages also come with speakers that can be used to play music or replicate the sound of a horse galloping.

Liliana Rodríguez, director of Corpoturismo, says this new fleet of carriages could inspire other cities where horse carriages are still in use.

He said the Cartagena vehicles would also be environmentally friendly because their batteries would be charged by solar energy.

“These are changes that new generations are demanding,” he said.

The city is investing nearly $2 million in a new fleet of electric vehicles and a warehouse equipped with a solar-powered charging station.

But the horse-cart owners of Cartagena are worried.

They say the municipal government is driving them out of the business they have spent decades building.

“We’re not against change,” said Miguel Angel Cortez, owner of two horse-drawn carriages who earn about $150 a day. “But we need to know how we will be included.”

The vehicle owners said that they have not received any written proposal from the city government. But they have been to meetings where there has been talk of paying $10,000 as compensation for their vehicles. Cart owners say that this will hardly be able to compensate for their losses.

Cartagena Mayor Domecq Turbay accused the cart owners of “spoils” the negotiations. He says the municipal government is ready to share the profits of the new electric vehicles with horse carriage owners. But no agreement has been reached between the two parties so far and the cart owners have threatened to sue the city government for putting them out of work.

“I feel like they’re trying to take advantage of the situation,” Mayor Turbay told NPR News.

Turbay says tourists will be able to ride for free on the city’s new electric trains for the next two months.

And some drivers – those who currently work for carriage owners – admit they will apply for jobs driving the new electric buggies.

But others are wondering whether tourists will want to ride in electric vehicles, even if they resemble 19th-century carriages.

“People come to Cartagena for the tradition,” says carriage driver Cristian Muñoz. “Without the horses, it’s not the same.”