Cartagena’s famous horse carriages make way for electric carriages: NPR

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

Its historic center is surrounded by thick stone walls built by the Spaniards to repel pirates. Inland, narrow streets wind through sunny squares and colonial mansions, a cityscape straight out of a movie.

The city is also famous for its horse-drawn carriages that carry tourists through its streets. Their large wheels dot the pavement, and their open tops are perfect for snapshots of Cartagena’s charm.

But soon the romantic gigs will be banned by the city government. Which wants to replace them with electric cars because of concerns about animal welfare.

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

“It’s very sad,” says Cristian Munoz, a traditional horse carriage driver in Cartagena. “We are part of the heritage of this city, like the walls that surround it.”

Tourists at the UNESCO World Heritage site say horse carriages are a fun way to get around in Cartagena’s sweltering heat. Many appreciate the way the drivers tell the history of the colonial city.

But animal rights activists have long argued that these joy rides are terrible for the horses pulling the carriages, because the cars on city roads put pressure on the horses. The sidewalk hurts horses’ knees and legs.

On several occasions, the horses collapsed from exhaustion, says Fanny Pachon, a local animal rights activist.

“Horses are herd animals, and they are designed to carry things,” she admits. “But they’re supposed to be in rural areas, not downtown with paved roads.”

Alejandro Riano, a famous comedian from Bogotá, has been lobbying the Cartagena government to replace the horse carriages for the past four years.

In 2021, he raised more than $25,000 on a crowdfunding site to build an electric car that resembles traditional horse carriages, but runs on battery power. The prototype was tested on city streets two years ago.

“We showed that there is technology now to do things differently,” he said.

After years of protests, the city finally sided with Riano and animal rights activists.

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

The new vehicles feature large wheels and open roofs, just like traditional vehicles. But they are powered by large batteries that can last for about 70 kilometers (43 miles) on a single charge.

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

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

She said that Cartagena’s trolleys will also be environmentally friendly because their batteries will be charged by solar energy.

“These are the types of changes that new generations are demanding,” she said.

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

But carriage owners in Cartagena are worried.

They say the municipal government is pushing them out of the project they spent decades building.

“We are not against conversion,” said Miguel Angel Cortez, owner of two horse-drawn carriages, whose daily income is about $150. “But we need to figure out how we will be included.”

The cart owners said they had not received any written offers from the city government. But they went to meetings where there was some talk of paying them $10,000 to reimburse them for their vehicles. Cart owners say this will not compensate for their losses.

The mayor of Cartagena, Domec Torbay, accused the carriage owners of “sabotaging” the negotiations. He says the municipal government is ready to share the profits from new electric cars with carriage owners. But so far no agreement has been reached between the two sides, and the cart owners have threatened to sue the city government for leaving them jobless.

“I have a feeling they’re trying to take advantage of the situation,” Mayor Torbay told NPR News.

Torbay says that tourists will be able to ride on the city’s new electric trolleys for free during the next two months.

Some rickshaw drivers – who currently work for rickshaw owners – admit they will apply for the new electric rickshaw driving jobs.

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

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