Neither Juan Manuel Santos nor Oscar Ivan Zuluaga deserve to be elected president.
Colombians go to the polls a day after “la selección” plays its first World Cup finals game since 1998.
You could excuse them for nursing their hangovers in bed and declining to vote.
On Saturday 14 June, the heroes in yellow and blue will offer hope of a nation at peace with itself, of glory and sporting triumph. On Sunday, the nation’s leaders by contrast offer fear and loathing.
Santos has (yes honestly) tried to argue that just as Jose Pekerman (the manager) has steered Colombia to the World Cup, he too will guide the country to peace with the FARC.
But unlike the joy and exuberance of Pekerman’s qualifying campaign, Santos and Zuluaga have led an election campaign in which rank corruption, vote buying, illegal espionage and entrapment have prevailed over debate, politics, and democracy.
It has been a dirty war from which no real victor can emerge.
With the new Congress split in factions, and with faith in Colombia’s justice, health, education, and legislative institutions at record lows, the new president will have a real job if he hopes to do anything more with his four years in office than tread water .
Analyst Sandra Borda has called on voters to tie on a Japanese-style surgical mask as they vote; a powerful and silent protest. And it’s depressing that perhaps fewer than half of Colombians will turn out to choose between what they call “el menos peor”, the least worst of two candidates.
Frankly so flimsy is the mandate that awaits Santos or Zuluaga, King Pyrrhus would be a fool to accept it.
So if Colombians are voting for the least worst option, who should they go for?
I confess it is almost impossible to know.
Santos must be applauded for bravely entering into peace talks with the FARC, and he must accept some of the credit for ensuring Colombia’s economy has continued to grow over the last four years. However, his government has been accused by former presidential candidate Clara Lopez, “of organizing the largest vote buying operation in history”; an alleged perversion of the democratic process that sickens and appalls.
As for Zuluaga; well do we trust he won’t break off the peace talks with the FARC?
Who knows, but his boss, former president Alvaro Uribe has constantly attacked the talks since they began in Cuba 18 months ago.
Should we worry too that his campaign appeared prepared to use the services of a hacker, hellbent on wiretapping the president’s personal email, FARC negotiators and top government officials?
Not great when we consider that one of the major scandals of the Uribe years was the alleged systematic wire-tapping of opponents and allies alike.
But then Zuluaga is not Uribe. Or is he? ¿Quien sabe?.
A poll released today suggests Mr Santos will edge it, as he brings together alliances across the centre and left of the political spectrum.
And news also emerged today that FIFA may have to vote again on the World Cup in Qatar if it is proved that votes were bought and sold. If only Colombia’s elections could be recalled on that same basis. Honestly, if I had to choose between Sepp Blatter and Juan Manuel Santos/Oscar Ivan…
¡Que viva la selección! Let’s hope the future generation of politicians shows as much pride in the nation as the footballers evidently do.
Picture, El Tiempo