Pandemic forces Colombia family to live in banquet hall

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Jamer Gonzalez used to organize about nine weddings, birthday parties or company lunches each month at his banquet hall in a working class district of Colombia's capital, earning enough to live comfortably and send his two eldest daughters to college.

Now, after months of pandemic restrictions, he is on the verge of bankruptcy and can't even afford rent for a family home. So his daughters have dropped out of university, and the family has moved into the Pegasus Events Hall, which once provided a living.

The family of five and their white cat sleep in rooms that were used to store tables, chairs and party props, including a giant throne used for quinceanera celebrations — the festive parties held by families when a daughter reaches her 15th birthday. A vintage Ford sedan Gonzalez provided for weddings is parked in the main hall, next to a desk that he brought from their old apartment.

“We are not asking for charity,” said Gonzalez, who hasn’t been able to host any parties since March because of lockdown rules. “All we ask the government is to let us work.”

Colombia has been gradually reopening the economy following six months of restrictions imposed for the pandemic. But some businesses, including movie theaters, bars and banquet halls, remain closed as officials try to limit indoor gather.

Representatives of these industries are urging the government to let them open -- with bio-security measures. They warn that thousands of family-owned businesses are about to disappear.

“Our sector has been hit extremely hard,” said Francy Salazar, president of the Colombian Association of Event Planners, a trade group with 1,700 members. Salazar said two event planners have committed suicide during the pandemic as they became overwhelmed...