We look at the Pico y Cedula in Colombia in the 5 largest cities in Colombia that restrict when you can go out shopping. The strictest is not in Bogotá or Medellín.
We have a guide to Pico y Cedula in Medellín and several readers have asked about Pico y Cedula in Colombia in other cities in Colombia. So, we look at Pico y Cedula in the five largest cities in Colombia:
- Bogotá
- Medellín
- Cali
- Barranquilla
- Cartagena
The Pico y Cedula restriction applies for going to grocery shops, malls, small tiendas, pharmacies and also includes banking and notary services. The goal of Pico y Cedula is to reduce the number of contacts people have during the coronavirus pandemic in Colombia.
Pico y Cedula appears to have started in Medellín and spread to other cities and municipalities in Colombia. The largest cities in Colombia all have Pico y Cedula. But the rules for Pico y Cedula can differ depending on the municipality in Colombia and is locally defined.
Pico y Cedula in Bogotá on July 17 (odd can’t go out)
1. Bogotá Pico y Cedula
From June 16 until further notice, in Bogotá Pico y Cedula applies to all citizens. Bogotá has an even/odd Pico y Cedula that permits you to go out every other day.
In Bogotá, people who have IDs finished in an even number will not be able to go out on even days. For example, on July 17, people whose ID number ends in 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 can go out.
On the other hand, people who have identity cards finished in an odd number will not be able to go out on odd days to carry out activities that we will mention in the next question. For example, on July 18, people whose ID numbers end in 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 can go out.
The following is the Pico y Cedula schedule in Bogotá from July 13 to July 26:
Starting on July 13
- Monday, July 13: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Tuesday, July 14: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Wednesday, July 15: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Thursday, July 16: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Friday, July 17: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Saturday, July 18: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Sunday, July 19: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
Starting on July 20
- Monday, July 20: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Tuesday, July 21: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Wednesday, July 22: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Thursday, July 23: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Friday, July 24: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Saturday, July 25: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Sunday, July 26: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
In Bogotá, you can go out shopping and banking every other day or seven times in two weeks with Pico y Cedula.
Pico y Cedula in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley Starting on July 23, 2020
2. Medellín Pico y Cedula
Medellín used to have the same even/odd Pico y Cedula that Bogotá has but this changed recently and the scheduled update twice in two weeks. We have a separate article that looks at Pico y Cedula in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley.
The new pico y cedula is for the entire Aburrá Valley includes 9 out of 10 municipalities in the valley including Medellín, Envigado, Sabaneta, Itagüí, Bello, La Estrella, Barbosa and Copacabana.
This new schedule starting on July 13 for three weeks permits you to go out only once per week. The new restrictive schedule replaces a previous schedule that permitted you to go out every other day. Note that two days are not yet defined, since the decisions depend on what the National Government defines.
The following is the Pico y Cedula schedule in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley based on the last digit of an ID from July 13 to July 26:
Starting on July 13
- Monday, July 13: 0, 1
- Tuesday, July 14: 2, 3
- Wednesday, July 15: 4, 5
- Thursday, July 16: 6, 7, 8, 9
- Friday, July 17: Restricted – nobody can go out, strict quarantine
- Saturday, July 18: Restricted – nobody can go out, strict quarantine
- Sunday, July 19: Restricted – nobody can go out, strict quarantine
Starting on July 20
- Monday, July 20: Restricted – nobody can go out
- Tuesday, July 21: 0, 1, 2
- Wednesday, July 22: 3, 4, 5
- Thursday, July 23: 6, 7, 8
- Friday, July 24 : Restricted – nobody can go out, strict quarantine
- Saturday, July 25: Restricted – nobody can go out, strict quarantine
- Sunday, July 26: Restricted – nobody can go out, strict quarantine
Starting on July 27
- Monday, July 27: 9, 0, 1
- Tuesday, July 28: 2, 3, 4
- Wednesday, July 29: 5, 6, 7
- Thursday, July 30: 8, 9
- Friday, July 31: Pending
- Saturday, July 25: Pending
- Sunday, July 26: Pending
In Medellín, you can go out shopping and banking once a week or two times in two weeks with Pico y Cedula. The only exception is the digit 9 that could not go out at all during the week of July 20 due to rescheduling.
Pico y cedula in Cali on July 16 and 17
3. Cali Pico y Cedula
Cali currently has the same even/odd Pico y Cedula that is currently used in Bogotá that permits you to go out every other day based on the last digit of your ID.
The following is the Pico y Cedula schedule in Cali from July 13 to July 26:
Starting on July 13
- Monday, July 13: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Tuesday, July 14: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Wednesday, July 15: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Thursday, July 16: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Friday, July 17: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Saturday, July 18: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Sunday, July 19: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
Starting on July 20
- Monday, July 20: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Tuesday, July 21: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Wednesday, July 22: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Thursday, July 23: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Friday, July 24: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Saturday, July 25: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
- Sunday, July 26: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
In Cali, you can go out shopping and banking every other day or seven times in two weeks with Pico y Cedula.
Pico y Cedula in Barranquilla
4. Barranquilla Pico y Cedula
Barranquilla has a Pico y Cedula schedule that permits you to go out every five days with two digits per day and is based on the last digit of your ID.
The following is the Pico y Cedula schedule in Barranquilla from July 17 to July 26:
Starting on July 17
- Friday, July 17: 4, 5
- Saturday, July 18: 6, 7
- Sunday, July 19: 8, 9
Starting on July 20
- Monday, July 20: 0, 1
- Tuesday, July 21: 2, 3
- Wednesday, July 22: 4, 5
- Thursday, July 23: 6, 7
- Friday, July 24: 8, 9
- Saturday, July 25: 0, 1
- Sunday, July 26: 2, 3
In Barranquilla, you can go out shopping and banking once every five days, twice in 10 days or three times in 15 days.
Pico y Cedula in Cartagena
5. Cartagena Pico y Cedula
Cartagena currently has the most restrictive Pico y Cedula schedule out of the five largest cities in Colombia. In Cartagena, the Pico y Cedula schedule is only once every 10 days and is based on the last digit of your ID.
The following is the Pico y Cedula schedule in Cartagena from July 13 to July 26
Starting on July 13
- Monday, July 13: 0
- Tuesday, July 14: 1
- Wednesday, July 15: 2
- Thursday, July 16:3
- Friday, July 17: 4
- Saturday, July 18: 5
- Sunday, July 19: 6
Starting on July 20
- Monday, July 20: 7
- Tuesday, July 21: 8
- Wednesday, July 22: 9
- Thursday, July 23: 0
- Friday, July 24: 1
- Saturday, July 25: 2
- Sunday, July 26: 3
In Cartagena, you can go out shopping and banking only one time every 10 days.
The Bottom Line: Pico y Cedula in Colombia – Which is Strictest out of 5 Largest Cities
Cartagena has the strictest Pico y Cedula schedule out of the five largest cities in Colombia, which permits you to go out only one time every 10 days. Medellín has the second most strict Pico y Cedula followed by Barranquilla.
Surprisingly, Bogotá and Cali have the least strict Pico y Cedula schedules out of the five largest cities in Colombia but both Bogotá and Cali have more coronavirus cases than in Medellín.
Sign up for the Free Medellin Guru Newsletter – You can see all of the previous Medellin Guru weekly email newsletters and sign up here.
Editors note: updated on July 22, 2020 with information that Pico y Cedula schedule in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley has changed again starting on July 23.
5 thoughts on “Pico y Cedula in Colombia: Which is Strictest Out of 5 Largest Cities?”
The Medellin Herald recently published an article with the headline:
“Colombia’s Health Ministry announced July 17 that because of recent court decisions, people 70-and-over now legally enjoy two-hours-per-day outdoor exercise privileges – not just three times/week under the Covid-19 regulations, but rather every single day.”
Is the Medellin Herald a reliable source? Can you confirm this information?
Thanks!!
Yes, that is accurate but DOES NOT apply during Medellín and the Aburrá Valley’s strict quarantine – https://medellinguru.com/covid-19-preventive-measures/
During the strict quarantine days in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley, exercise is not a permitted activity to leave the home and there are stiff penalties – https://medellinguru.com/penalties-for-violating-the-quarantine/
Got it – so OK on Tuesday-Thursday, NOT on Fri-Sun
Thanks!
Yes, the strict quarantine is now Friday to Sunday. But haven’t seen a new Pico y Cedula yet, last time they issued the new Pico y Cedula change at the last minute. Hasn’t been updated on the Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá Twitter yet and haven’t seen a new Pico y Cedula in the news – here is the Aburrá Valley twitter – https://twitter.com/areametropol?lang=en
Wow, in Cartagena only once every 10 days , that is horrible. I thought the new Medellin pico y cedula was bad but that is even worse.