According to a clerk (auxiliar) in the Bucaramanga Chamber of Commerce's (Cámara de Comercio de Bucaramanga) Commercial Registry Department (Departamento del Registro Mercantil), Petrocasinos Sociedad Autónoma is involved in the food services industry, as well as providing other types of hospitality services such as laundry (4 June 2003). This information is corroborated by a directory of Colombian businesses published by Lanota.com, which characterizes Petrocasinos as a provider of food services to other companies (n.d.).

The company's headquarters are located at kilometre 4, Via Girón No. 48-80, Bucaramanga, Santander (Colsa Mininco n.d.).

No reports indicating that members of armed groups have infiltrated Petrocasinos could be found among the documentary sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Petrocasinos staff did not respond to Research Directorate requests for information.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Cámara de Comercio de Bucaramanga, Departamento del Registro Mercantil, Bucaramanga. 4 June 2003. Telephone interview with a clerk.

Colsa Mininco. n.d. "Petrocasinos S.A." http://www.colsa.com.co/proveed/c04pr159.htm [Accessed 4 June 2003]

Lanota.com. n.d. "Alimentación a empresas." http://www.lanota.com/compendio/ALIMENTACIONAEMPRESAS/ [Accessed 4 June 2003]

IRB databases

Petrocasinos Sociedad Anónima

Internet sites, including:

Cámara de Comercio de Bucaramanga

El Colombiano [Medellín]. 2001-2003

Semana [Bogotá]