None of Colombia’s leading presidential candidates come even close to being a decent leader. The country’s choice in May is between terrible administrators and terrorism apologists.
Previous elections always left me with some hope for a surprise, but not this time. None of the leading candidates can possibly be good for the country.
#1 – Gustavo Petro
Gustavo Petro, the leading candidate, will not turn Colombia into a second Venezuela as the conservatives want you to believe. The social democrat most certainly won’t convert the country in a second Norway either.
The social democrat was an outstanding lawmaker and personally revealed some of the worst human rights scandals in the history of Colombia.
However, his first stint of government as mayor of Bogota was an unequivocal failure. Only current Mayor Enrique Peñalosa ever received a lower approval rating.
From what I could see from Medellin, Petro’s failure as a mayor was due to his inability to compromise. Rather than seeking consensus with the city council, the social democrat ruled by decree.
Consequently, the execution of his policies received little public support. At the end of his term, less than half of the policy proposals he had made were effectively executed.
#2 – Sergio Fajardo
Sergio Fajardo is another terrible executive. While his tone is more conciliatory than that of Petro, Fajardo’s lack of talent made him both a failure as mayor of Medellin and governor of Antioquia.
His last job left his home province virtually bankrupt. External debt doubled in the four years he was in office.
The leading paisa candidate is a welcome visionary, but an outstandingly sloppy administrator. His idea to upgrade Medellin’s slums by building libraries with free internet was fantastic. However, five years after construction, his prized project was already shut down because the facade came off.
Also in terms of security, the mayor failed to address the evident failure to demobilize the AUC. Consequently, armed gangs united under the Oficina de Envigado continue to run the city.
#3 – Ivan Duque
Ivan Duque is the only friendly politician I have ever talked to. Nevertheless, his almost absolute lack of experience and alliance with former President Alvaro Uribe makes him a national security threat.
The conservative candidate does not have any executive experience. He is a mere lackey of the former president who is investigated for arguably being the single most corrupt and psychopathic politician ever.
Rather than pushing for investigations to purge the country’s ruling class of corrupt feudalists, Duque has surrounded himself with them.
German Vargas
German Vargas is not even worth the bother writing about. The man is an insult to democracy.