Opinion: Colombia in the throes of a revolution
Colombia in the throes of a revolution
posted by Kevin Howlett
Dec 14, 2013
An oligarchical political class have governed Colombia for 200 years, but their time is up. The touch paper was lit long before this week’s “coup” against the democratically elected Mayor of Bogota, Gustavo Petro; but the sacking of this demobilized guerrilla may well be the act that makes change inexorable.
Removed from office – and banned from politics for 15 years- for fouling up the nationalization of Bogota’s garbage collection (yes, really), Petro has been overnight transformed from incompetent leader into martyr.
Bogota’s Plaza de Bolivar is to Petro’s thinking, Tahrir Square. From the balcony of the mayoral palace on the western flank of the plaza, Petro calls on the gathered masses to rise against the “fascists” who run Colombia. Hyperbolic, yes, but Petro has struck a sustained chord in a growing symphony of discontent.
18 months ago a hastag brought down a law the Santos Government had spent two years pushing through congress. #Noalareformadejusticia took a mere 24 hours to strong arm the president to veto a reform he had just days before claimed was emblematic of his transformative administration.
More:
http://colombiareports.co/colombia-throes-revolution/
