Cartagena's Crossroads: Iconic Horse Carriages to Be Replaced by Electric Buggies

In Cartagena, a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its colonial charm, the clip-clop of horse-drawn carriages may soon be replaced by the quiet hum of electric motors. The Colombian city is moving forward with a plan to ban its iconic carriages, igniting a fierce debate over animal welfare, cultural heritage, and the future of tourism.

For decades, the carriages, known locally as coches, have been a quintessential part of the Cartagena experience, offering tourists a romantic tour through the city's historic walled center. Proponents of the tradition, including the carriage drivers (cocheros) and many in the tourism industry, argue that the ban will erase a vital piece of the city's living history and threaten their livelihoods.

However, the move is a long-sought victory for animal rights advocates. They have argued for years that the horses are overworked and often suffer from dehydration and exhaustion in the city's sweltering Caribbean heat. For them, the decision marks a crucial step away from an outdated and inhumane form of entertainment.

The city's proposed solution is a compromise: a new fleet of electric-powered buggies designed to mimic the classic look of the carriages. Officials hope this will preserve the city's aesthetic charm while definitively addressing the animal welfare concerns that have long shadowed the industry.

Cartagena's dilemma is a microcosm of a challenge facing historic cities worldwide: how to modernize responsibly without erasing the very character that makes them unique. From Venice's ban on large cruise ships to the debate over tourist caps in Barcelona, municipalities are grappling with how to define sustainable heritage tourism. The success or failure of Cartagena's electric buggy experiment will be a closely watched case study for other cities navigating the delicate balance between preservation and progress.