The People Demand a Free and United Colombia
For three years, the defenseless people shouted: “Out with Petro.” Today, amid chaos, state collapse, the terror wielded by criminal organizations, and the informality of the booming narco-economy that widens the socioeconomic gap, people are desperately calling for a “free and united Colombia.”
On March 8, the circus and foolishness of makeshift movements end, along with the moral ruin of dirty partisan deals and the egos of those who feel they have presidential powers and capabilities. The curtain falls on the prelude to the consultations, the stage changes, and another satirical operetta begins, in which the country struggles between the enslaving misery of a consolidated narco-terrorist State aiming at a constitutional dictatorship or the possibility of returning to a democratic system of values and freedoms.
That day, the “puppets” who will participate in a political “reality show” will be nominated—where partisan machinery and elected members of collegial bodies contribute little. Those votes and percentages cease to exist and are non-transferable. Some will vote deceived by the illusion of a better future, others out of fear of landing in the proven misery of a SSXXI-style narcoterrorist totalitarianism.
Democracy competes on a field without referees, where no one enforces the rules against the propaganda apparatus of an autocratic criminal government that does not respect the law of guarantees and sells the story of a perfect country to strata 2, 3, and 1—representing 75% of potential voters—backed by the mirage of higher real income.
The country has immense potential if it is well managed. It has resources and a virtuous human capital that is currently migrating, but with very few exceptions, those who exercise leadership and power are part of a politicking system that promises much but only rewards bandits, clientelism, and State contractors.
The citizenry is fed up with the deception of traditional politics cohabiting with populism, the corrupt who use power to steal on unimaginable scales, the barren guild and institutional leadership, and the absence of justice.
The only thing the conscious voter wants to know, aware that we have become one of the countries with the worst quality of life, highest fiscal deficit, highest debt cost, and highest rates of corruption, violence, and criminal activity, is:
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Will they be able to bring groceries home and pay their bills amid rampant inflation?
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Will they have employment, health coverage, and access to medicines?
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Will they be able to live safely in their communities?
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Will they have the freedom to choose their own destiny and expect the State to fulfill its essential functions, guaranteeing justice, education, infrastructure, and efficient services?
The electorate is forced to watch a “reality TV show” in which only those with the technological ability to conduct digital communication that generates an emotional impact on the majority within a skeptical, apolitical, and undecided voter base can succeed against a cheating government. This electoral market is made up of people aspiring to freedom and opportunities that allow them to achieve a better country and a better quality of life.
Let us hope that some of those who believe they can govern Colombia responsibly manage to gain the people’s trust, and that so many stubborn leaders set aside egos, interests, and conflicts, leave behind their alliance with clientelism and populist farce, and humbly listen to the people and to Uribe. They must understand that neither the presidency is a children’s game nor the country a toy to destroy. Without unity of purpose and freedom, social discontent will grow, and citizens could engage in frank civil resistance against criminal organizations seeking state power.
