ForJavier Urrego Jimenez
David Bushnell was surprised in his book,Colombia: a nation despite itself, that the country, despite being in one of the most unstable areas in the world, never had a dictatorship comparable to that of other countries in the area such as Argentina or Brazil. That there never was a revolution that triumphed like in Honduras or Cuba. And that its economic growth has been slow when compared, for example, with Singapore or North Korea, which in less than a century went from being practically feudal economies to technological giants. As they say, nothing has ever happened in Colombia. But it's not like that. Historians have material to fill books and history books about the country. Rather, what Bushnell points out is something that is repeated eternally and in the same way: that Colombia, like a mule, is reluctant to change. It is not known if it goes forward or backward. He neither cracks nor lends the ax… etcetera.
Colombia: the country of eternal immutability
Álvaro Gómez said that Colombia is a liberal country that votes conservative. And what for many was a surprise in the last elections is rather what has always happened in this country: nothing changes and simply nobody wants to change anything. The change was embodied in the figure of Gustavo Petro, the undisputed leader of the left in the country (a left that by the way has never touched power) and who has already tried to reach the presidency three times. This change, as has been said, did not come, and it is possible that it definitely will not come. Instead Rodolfo Hernández, the former mayor of Bucaramanga, was the one who gave the surprise. But is Rodolfo the change?
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Clearly, people sucked by the rightful and shameful amalgam of Uribismo shot Federico Gutiérrez, another former mayor candidate, who did not get even the shadow of the budgeted votes . But this does not mean that the old and traditional Colombia has fallen. This is still represented, in a large majority, in those who voted for Rodolfo, because ultimately they are afraid of the change that the former mayor of Bogotá promises. Despite the fact that many crowed that Rodolfo was the surprise, this does not represent anything that should surprise. It's still the same Colombia we talked about with Bushnell. A country of colorful, misogynistic, homophobic, racist, classist people, of unlimited pettiness and who sit on their ass to watch The Challenge, comfortable in the status quo, while the country goes downhill, or down? ' up? It is not known anymore.
June 5, 2022