Start your engines!

Desideria (Moderator) says on Jun 3, 2005, 15:22:

I didn't expect anybody else either. Navarro Wolff is the only survivor from the turbulent past of the Colombian left-wing movements. His candidacy, however, will split the vote of the center-left that otherwise would have voted for Carlos Gaviria.I'm afraid none of them will have a chance against Uribe going for the second term.
Cheers,
Desi

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

Desideria (Moderator) says on Jun 3, 2005, 15:45:

that'd be my hope since I don't like his high-handed manner of handling of the re-election. I have no specific left-wing sympathies, but I don't agree with Uribe's self-perpetuating policies either. Time for Ingrid to come back from the jungles.

There's something about Uribe that bothers me. I can't put my finger on it, since I seemingly agree with a lot of his policies. However, there's something amiss.

Cheers,
Desi

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

platano says on Jun 3, 2005, 20:42:

Desi, ¡Qué Dios te oiga! Ingrid ganaría más votos que Navarro y es tiempo darle el poder a una mujer porque los hombres no han podido manejar la vaina como todos sabemos. Mi único temor es que una vez presidente la matarían. uuuffff, no puedo espantar el pesimismo hoy.

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Oxigeno Verde ¡Libertad por Ingrid y los demás!

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Sr Tertius says on Jun 3, 2005, 21:31:

No (apparent) PDI/FSP division The left in Colombia finally figured out how to converge in two coallitions: Frente Social y Político, that surely will back Carlos Gaviria, and the PDI. That's much better than a bunch of micro-parties. And my impression from interviews to the PDI leaders and Carlos Gaviria is that they are well aware that they don't have a chance running separately. I think the main question that divides them is what to do with the Liberal party. I think PDI would join them in a united front against Uribe (or whoever his new personality-cult party decides to name), but FSP wouldn't. I'm more with the FSP on that: with only three parties with a real chance (assuming a FSP/PDI coallition), the Liberal party could go down on the first round.

FSP/PDI has plenty of political muscle. I don't agree, Desi, that they don't stand a chance. Together, they do. The Liberal party (i.e., the professional politicians) know that, that's why they want them on their side. But that sounds more like a siren song to me. I'd rather stay away from them.

I'd like to see Ingrid out there too. That would be one formidable opposition to Uribe.

"Maybe when they review his re-election legislation it'll happen again????"

Chances are, it will, not because the Court has anything against Uribe, but because the amendment to allow for a second-term re-election was passed in a very botched way. Of course, Mr. Uribe will say that he was excluded due to technicalities. Because when it is he who is favored, it is technicalities, but when it isn't, then it's a matter of defending the State and the Law.

"El que a hierro mata..."

"When the finger points to the moon, the fool looks at the finger" (Chinese proverb)

juancegomez says on Jun 5, 2005, 21:52:

While I'd mostly agree with a lot of what Sir Tertius mentioned, I'd point out that the Liberal Party itself isn't even united yet around its own position.

A Gaviria-inclined Liberal Party (very likely) would never join with the FSP/PDI in the first round, and probably it would only nominally do so in the second.

A Serpa/Cordoba-inclined Liberal Party (unlikely but not impossible) would perhaps seek to unite programatically, but would actually want to be the senior member of the coalition against Uribe, whether in the first or second round.

Right now, all that I can say is that, if the united left plays its cards wisely and the Liberal Party doesn't fool around too much, it's considerably probable that Uribe will have to face a second round of elections, at the least.

I still believe that Ingrid is a wildcard, all bets are off in that case. Perhaps things could change radically...or perhaps not. Don't know myself, so don't blame me in either case.

platano says on Jun 11, 2005, 15:08:

Duro ataque de ex secretario de la OEA a presidente colombiano
Associated Press , Saturday , June 11, 2005

BOGOTA -- Luego de un cordial encuentro, el ex secretario de la OEA y ex mandatario colombiano Cesar Gaviria lanzo una andanada de criticas al gobierno del presidente Alvaro Uribe durante el congreso del partido liberal en la oposicion, que escogera el sabado su candidato presidencial a las elecciones del 2006.

"La politica social en este gobierno se convirtio en un instrumento asistencialista, donde el caudillo hace favores, reparte cheques, regala becas y ordena que se pongan vacunas a ninos, siempre y cuando haya una camara de television que lo registre", dijo Gaviria en su discurso ante unos 1.000 delegados.

Las criticas se registraron un dia despues de que Gaviria y Uribe se encontraron el jueves en los actos de conmemoracion del aniversario del diario La Tarde e intercambiaron palabras cordiales ante los asistentes.

Gaviria (1990-1994) dijo que el actual gobernante colombiano "caudillista", "politiquero" y "pendenciero", entre otros epitetos.

Al referirse a las negociaciones con los grupos paramilitares, Gaviria indico que el "proceso con los paramilitares no esta bien llevado ni necesariamente va a traer la paz. Tampoco creo que se va a desmantelar el fenomeno paramilitar".

Uribe sostiene con las Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia negociaciones de paz en una zona al norte del pais. Hasta ahora se han desmovilizado y entregado sus armas 4.800 de unos 13.000 combatientes ilegales.

El ex secretario de la OEA critico la poca "vision del pais a largo plazo. Se dedica a la pequena gerencia, a las cosas menudas, a la politica al detal".

Acepto que en materia de seguridad las cosas le han salido bien al mandatario. Hizo hincapie en la necesidad de darle continuidad a esa politica de seguridad, sin dejar de respetar los derechos humanos y civiles.

Aunque oficialmente no se ha iniciado la carrera por la presidencia en las elecciones de mayo de 2006, los ataques entre posibles candidatos y el presidente Uribe ya se iniciaron. La semana pasada el partido Polo Democratico Independiente eligio al senador y ex guerrillero Antonio Navarro como candidato unico del partido.

Uribe mantiene una popularidad del 70% de los colombianos segun las ultimas encuentras contratadas por medios de comunicacion locales.

Plátano, el banano verde
Oxigeno Verde ¡Libertad por Ingrid y los demás!

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