Although the characters in this book are entirely fictional, some of the incidents are based on actual events.
On December 20, 1995, Flight 965 from Miami to Cali, Colombia, crashed just outside the Cali Airport, at the height of the Christmas season. Four passengers survived the slow-moving crash, and belongings were found largely intact. I was in Cali at the time with my newborn daughter, and covered the aftermath of the crash for the Los Angeles Times. Those articles are public record, as are the transcripts from the flight’s black box, including Captain Tafuri’s words.
The same year, a notorious drug dealer was gunned down at lunchtime in a popular Cali restaurant. Although he was hit by a hail of bullets, he survived the assassination attempt, only to be killed months later outside of Cali.
The Cali traditions of the feria and the cabalgata continue to be alive and well. American Airlines flight 921 continues its daily evening route from Miami to Cali.