With De la Espriella’s victory, Colombia now appears poised to join the mano dura trend represented by countries like El Salvador and Ecuador. Yet the result demonstrates that the Colombian left’s vision of society is far from a minority position.
Faced with the prospect of losing power, the President has gone beyond mere scaremongering and resorted to fomenting unrest from the White House.
Protesters are being snatched from the streets without warrants. Can we call it fascism yet? First Portland, then Kansas City, Chicago, Albuquerque, and plans for Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee, to coincide with the Democratic National Convention.
The Democratic Unionists Party’s support for British Conservatives denies us the Tory collapse and second election which could see a socialist leader swept to power. Whilst Britain continues its faux-neutral role in Ireland, true recourse to justice is stunted; women are still denied bodily autonomy; and right-wing extremists continue to prop up a government whose official policy powers in Northern Ireland denies all of us self-determination.
Strikes, demonstrations and protests are at a record pace in Colombia this year as workers seek a bigger share of wealth generated by the country’s expanding economy. After 50 years of guerrilla warfare, the government’s success in weakening illegal armed groups has drawn investment and rewarded businessmen, while the gap between rich and poor remains considerable, according to the World Bank’s Gini index of income distribution.
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