A video from Medellin circulating on social media showing a man, later identified as Cristian Mateo, wandering shirtless and exhibiting strange behavior on the streets prompted widespread speculation and alarm about the potential arrival of the potent opioid fentanyl in the city. Initial reactions and media reports linked the man’s state to the use of fentanyl, often dubbed the “zombie drug” due to its potent effects and association with numerous overdose deaths, particularly in the United States.
However, journalist Hernán Muñóz debunked these theories, revealing that Mateo had fallen victim to heroin use, not fentanyl, and described the life-destroying impact of the drug. The ‘Yonathan Forero No More Drugs’ Foundation is reportedly assisting in arranging detox and rehabilitation services for Mateo. Meanwhile, ESE Carisma, a local service helping drug victims, confirmed that they have not treated anyone for pure fentanyl use in the region.