http://www.opendemocracy.net/jose-ma...on-or-legality

Colombia's elections: corruption or legality?

In a country plagued by corruption, not only in politics but in almost every aspect of everyday life, an anti-politician who claims that legality is the way to pull the country out of its predicament – has raised the hopes of many

Colombia is about to vote for a new government on May 30. Campaigning began early this year when the political parties with ties to President Uribe won most seats in the Congress. A triumph in the presidential elections was then very likely for Juan Manuel Santos – Uribe’s candidate.

Not for long. Antanas Mockus, an independent who joined the Green party last October, started to rise in the polls some weeks ago and now has a clear chance to beat Santos. Mockus jumped in an IPSOS poll from 20% on April 15 to 32% on May 22, while Santos was at 34%. Mockus’ candidacy has been met with a wave of enthusiasm in Colombia. People of all ages are using Facebook to support him, and taking to the streets to be part of large demonstrations to this effect.

Recent Colombian politics have revolved around the achievements and scandals surrounding President Uribe’s eight years in power. His government has managed to push the FARC guerrillas out of the suburbs of the big cities on the main motorways, and into the jungle, wrong-footing FARC, who are no longer able to terrorise small towns with their group kidnappings. Instead they have opted for a strategic retreat.

Having inherited a country with one of the worst human rights situations in the world, Uribe has kept the Colombian state in the top league with new harvests of death and suffering. Although the number of kidnappings and massacres decreased during Uribe’s tenure, killings of human rights defenders, journalists and social activists have remained high – with at least 505 trade unionists killed between 2002 and 2009.

But a society that has swept under the carpet every conceivable sort of abuse committed by the army and paramilitaries with the goal of weakening FARC, still has the capacity to be outraged. The first national expression of moral indignation was prompted by the guerrillas themselves. Sentiment flooded the country in 2008 when gigantic demonstrations in many cities condemned FARC’s kidnappings tactics and the cruelty endured by their hostages.
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