Colombian presidential candidate Antanas Mockus Antanas Mockus denied Wednesday at a Reuters forum on Investment in Latin America, that if elected he would allow Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to export his socialist revolution to Colombia
Mockus said “Categorically no,” about the question of bringing Venezuelan ideals to Colombia, adding that there had been “some hysteria” over claims that he would let President Alvaro Uribe’s “democratic security” policy fall by the wayside and allow Colombia to be overrun by the FARC and Venezuelan socialists.
Mockus said that the best way to stop the export of the Chavista ideology to Colombia is for, in four years time, Colombia to be “much better than Venezuela.”
The Green Party candidate added that if Colombia can fight and extinguish national corruption, the nation will attract much foreign investment, which will in turn bring economic growth.
The Colombian mathematician and philosopher promised to combat corruption and said his goal for the growth of the Colombian economy would be 4% per annum.
Mockus called for greater cooperation and integration in Latin America, and added that it should be recognized that Colombia and Venezuela are interdependent.
“Improving relations with our neighboring country is the solution for Colombia. No investment will be as effective as improving that relationship,” Mockus said.
Mockus, who currently leads voter polls, has been the target of much criticism following his fast ascent to the top of the presidential candidate ladder. His opponents attack his proposed security policies and paint him to be anti-Uribe and a crony of Chavez.