No quería hablar más de política antes de publicar el cuento que llevo prometiendo, pero es que se me había escapado un asunto que me parecía fundamental, la visita de Antonio José Ledezma al país.
Varias cosas para decir al respecto, primero que él y sólo él es el Alcalde de Caracas, por más que a Chávez no le guste a él lo eligieron unas 800 mil personas, eso quiere decir que en una ciudad con la mitad de la población de Bogotá tuvo una votación casi igual a la del alcalde sabanero. Eso también quiere decir que el poder popular está representado por el señor Ledezma y no por la nueva figura de la administración del Distrito Federal.
Segundo, que la visita de Ledezma no tuvo el impacto mediático que merecía. Nuevamente varias cosas por decir, él podría escoger a nuestro país como el lugar para asilarse si al presidente del vecino país le da por enjuiciarlo, como hizo con otros opositores. También que él escogió como escenario para discutir políticas públicas en Bogotá, la ciudad que de alguna manera ha sido el modelo de desarrollo urbano en América Latina en la última década.
Tercero, grotesca, casi para escribir en mayúscula, la actitud de nuestro Alcalde Mayor que no fue capaz de darle un tiempito a su colega venezolano. No fue capaz de decir que no está de acuerdo con que le quiten el puesto así como así a los mandatarios locales, se acuerdan del escándalo que montó el año pasado cuando el Ministro Santos hizo un Consejo de Seguridad en el sur diciendo que se le estaban metiendo al rancho, parece que el fin del poder de Ledezma sobre Caracas no es importante. Samuel, das asco.
Por último es que me gustó el gesto de coraje de Lucho, Antanas, Enrique y Jaime en la defensa de Ledezma. Todos ellos fueron responsables del cambio de Bogotá, desde Castro que arregló las finanzas, Mockus que nos enseñó a comportarnos, Peñalosa que construyó una ciudad para la gente hasta Garzón que le dio a la gente más pobre herramientas para vivir mejor, todos fueron una pieza fundamental en la Bogotá que vivimos y que Ledezma parece quiere imitar. A ellos felicitaciones.
domingo, 28 de junio de 2009
sábado, 6 de junio de 2009
one, two, three
It is so hard to write in English when I know that this post it is going to bring me back to the time I lived in the US and even though you may not care about the things I'm going to say they are very special to me. So, 3 years ago I was on a plane, flying from Atlanta to Bogota, after living a year in the United States. I have to say it was a very sad day, a very sad week.
I should start from the very beginning. I decided that I had to go to the US in the early 2005 just because I knew it was an important thing to my life but also because I was a bit tired of school and I wanted a break, but a serious one. I made a pro-con list to decide wether I should go to Brazil and live there for a while or to go to the US to learn English. I made somehow a research and found out that I had to put almost the same amount of money down to go to either place. I picked the US and bought an exchange program at EF International Education, a place highly recommended by many friends. So I paid my fee, got my visa and on July 27th, 2005 I was flying up to Kentucky.
I was sent to a city called Lexington, a small size metropolitan area in the middle of the Bluegrass, which means the region where most of the horse racing farms are located. I got there after a horrible with many delays and cancelations due to a huge storm in Atlanta. At the Airport Derrick Payne, my first host father was waiting for me. He told me that they were excited about me and he also talked a bit in Spanish while explaining that they loved Colombia and had been here 2 or 3 times. We got home after 1:30 am and they told me that I had to be ready for church at 8:00 am. Yes, to go to Church, I had not been a religious person, well, the next day I was forced to get up early to go with them. So I woke up and found out the family had 2 boys and one girl (the application said they only had the boys) and they were really nice. We got into the car and they played a Juan Luís Guerra CD with christian music, it was funny because on my goodwill party we danced Avispas, one of the songs they played on that CD. The church was a bit far away but the ride was totally worth, the place was pretty and the people very nice, what I didn not know was that they were charismatic and they spoke in thongues and wanted me to do the same. Very awkward.
Anyhow, living with the Payne was pretty nice, until we got bad news, the school were I was supposed to go did not accept my application, due to the fact that I was colombian and they, the Paynes, had had many colombians over the years. So, Jackie, my host mom, investigated really quick and she found out that Jessamine County would accept me on their school system, it meant we had to find out a new family for me as soon as possible. Jackie got a really nice family from their church to get me for a few couple of weeks until the program was able to get me a regular home.
I stayed with them, the Beegly-Jackson family for like 3 weeks, they were so nice I was actually wanting them to get me on regular basis, not only because I got used to live with them but also because Jessica, my host sister attended the same school as I did and it was good to have her drive me to school and stuff like that. Finally at the end of september the program called me and told me they found a new home for me in a different city, I was starting to wonder if the idea of me going to the US was good. Anyhow, the call was made on a wednesday, so I decided that thursday was going to be my last day at East Jessamine and I was going to take friday off to pack and get depressed (lol). I had normal classes during the day and my last one was my favorite one, General US History. My teacher was, at least for what I saw on those weeks, a fun kind of conservative hippie, I know it is difficult to accept the fact that a conservative person would also be hippie, but she was very liberal on many issues as well as she was a good southern person, religious, conservative and very nice. I told her that I was not going back to her class and that I had really enjoyed her as a teacher. She asked me why I was not going back and after she heard the story she told me well I can have you at my house, call your program and have them call me. So I did, on friday she told me that my program decided to let her have me at her house, on saturday I went to King's Island with the Paynes and stayed at their home and they took me to the Hills.
The Hills, my last and very loved host family, lived in Lexington's nicest neighborhood, The Hartland Estates. They lived in a nice home and teh family was composed by Carol, my teacher, Vaughn, her husband, Ross, their son, Della, Bell and Oprah, their dogs, Stormy, their cat and 3 little turtles (I cannot remember their names). They also had a daughter, Grace, who lived in Philadelphia with her husband Morgan. GrandPa was always around as well. Their family was unique, I have not enough vocabulary in English to say how much every single one of them meant for me and my life. And I am not sure if they know how much I loved to be part of their family for almost 9 months.
They had a really nice live style, we went to eat out everyday, we went to the movies at least once a week, they enjoyed showing the best of their culture and society to me, but they never hesitate to say and show ugl and bad things of their stupid government and population. While I was in the US Katrina destroyed New Orleans and Rita scared half of Texas' population. With the Hills I had the opportunity to travel around Kentucky, we also went to Tennessee, Ohio, South Carolina, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
There, in the US, I made some of my dearest friends, they were from church, yes I went to Church with the Hills as well, school and Speech and Drama Team, I am going to name some, if you read this and are not named, Im sorry after 3 years it is complicated to keep track of all of you. Let see, from Church I have to name Garrett, Jordan, Dawn and Amelia, they all kept in touch and Garrett of course has been one strong support that I have 10000 miles away. Jordan is the only of my American friends that has visited me and as long as I know he enjoyed his trip to Bogotá. From school, I can name, among many others, Sarah Tolliver, Andrea Wiseman, Josh Lafferty, Sheila Williams, Samantha, Rachel E.B., Kaitlin Burton, Johnny Smith and of course, Matt Prize. From speech or drama I can not stop calling names lile Crystal Bunn, Chris Schlesinger, Andy Fass, Tiffany Griggs, LeAndra Longoria, Moe, Adam Parker, Maddison, Dana (my all time fiancé), Parker Collins, Faith, Ashley Pucket, Marie Todd, Renee, Krystal Wood, Sarah Thompsom... I also want to mention Erika Webb, Joe Mau and Bill Jones, my loved teachers.
I should start from the very beginning. I decided that I had to go to the US in the early 2005 just because I knew it was an important thing to my life but also because I was a bit tired of school and I wanted a break, but a serious one. I made a pro-con list to decide wether I should go to Brazil and live there for a while or to go to the US to learn English. I made somehow a research and found out that I had to put almost the same amount of money down to go to either place. I picked the US and bought an exchange program at EF International Education, a place highly recommended by many friends. So I paid my fee, got my visa and on July 27th, 2005 I was flying up to Kentucky.
I was sent to a city called Lexington, a small size metropolitan area in the middle of the Bluegrass, which means the region where most of the horse racing farms are located. I got there after a horrible with many delays and cancelations due to a huge storm in Atlanta. At the Airport Derrick Payne, my first host father was waiting for me. He told me that they were excited about me and he also talked a bit in Spanish while explaining that they loved Colombia and had been here 2 or 3 times. We got home after 1:30 am and they told me that I had to be ready for church at 8:00 am. Yes, to go to Church, I had not been a religious person, well, the next day I was forced to get up early to go with them. So I woke up and found out the family had 2 boys and one girl (the application said they only had the boys) and they were really nice. We got into the car and they played a Juan Luís Guerra CD with christian music, it was funny because on my goodwill party we danced Avispas, one of the songs they played on that CD. The church was a bit far away but the ride was totally worth, the place was pretty and the people very nice, what I didn not know was that they were charismatic and they spoke in thongues and wanted me to do the same. Very awkward.
Anyhow, living with the Payne was pretty nice, until we got bad news, the school were I was supposed to go did not accept my application, due to the fact that I was colombian and they, the Paynes, had had many colombians over the years. So, Jackie, my host mom, investigated really quick and she found out that Jessamine County would accept me on their school system, it meant we had to find out a new family for me as soon as possible. Jackie got a really nice family from their church to get me for a few couple of weeks until the program was able to get me a regular home.
I stayed with them, the Beegly-Jackson family for like 3 weeks, they were so nice I was actually wanting them to get me on regular basis, not only because I got used to live with them but also because Jessica, my host sister attended the same school as I did and it was good to have her drive me to school and stuff like that. Finally at the end of september the program called me and told me they found a new home for me in a different city, I was starting to wonder if the idea of me going to the US was good. Anyhow, the call was made on a wednesday, so I decided that thursday was going to be my last day at East Jessamine and I was going to take friday off to pack and get depressed (lol). I had normal classes during the day and my last one was my favorite one, General US History. My teacher was, at least for what I saw on those weeks, a fun kind of conservative hippie, I know it is difficult to accept the fact that a conservative person would also be hippie, but she was very liberal on many issues as well as she was a good southern person, religious, conservative and very nice. I told her that I was not going back to her class and that I had really enjoyed her as a teacher. She asked me why I was not going back and after she heard the story she told me well I can have you at my house, call your program and have them call me. So I did, on friday she told me that my program decided to let her have me at her house, on saturday I went to King's Island with the Paynes and stayed at their home and they took me to the Hills.
The Hills, my last and very loved host family, lived in Lexington's nicest neighborhood, The Hartland Estates. They lived in a nice home and teh family was composed by Carol, my teacher, Vaughn, her husband, Ross, their son, Della, Bell and Oprah, their dogs, Stormy, their cat and 3 little turtles (I cannot remember their names). They also had a daughter, Grace, who lived in Philadelphia with her husband Morgan. GrandPa was always around as well. Their family was unique, I have not enough vocabulary in English to say how much every single one of them meant for me and my life. And I am not sure if they know how much I loved to be part of their family for almost 9 months.
They had a really nice live style, we went to eat out everyday, we went to the movies at least once a week, they enjoyed showing the best of their culture and society to me, but they never hesitate to say and show ugl and bad things of their stupid government and population. While I was in the US Katrina destroyed New Orleans and Rita scared half of Texas' population. With the Hills I had the opportunity to travel around Kentucky, we also went to Tennessee, Ohio, South Carolina, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
There, in the US, I made some of my dearest friends, they were from church, yes I went to Church with the Hills as well, school and Speech and Drama Team, I am going to name some, if you read this and are not named, Im sorry after 3 years it is complicated to keep track of all of you. Let see, from Church I have to name Garrett, Jordan, Dawn and Amelia, they all kept in touch and Garrett of course has been one strong support that I have 10000 miles away. Jordan is the only of my American friends that has visited me and as long as I know he enjoyed his trip to Bogotá. From school, I can name, among many others, Sarah Tolliver, Andrea Wiseman, Josh Lafferty, Sheila Williams, Samantha, Rachel E.B., Kaitlin Burton, Johnny Smith and of course, Matt Prize. From speech or drama I can not stop calling names lile Crystal Bunn, Chris Schlesinger, Andy Fass, Tiffany Griggs, LeAndra Longoria, Moe, Adam Parker, Maddison, Dana (my all time fiancé), Parker Collins, Faith, Ashley Pucket, Marie Todd, Renee, Krystal Wood, Sarah Thompsom... I also want to mention Erika Webb, Joe Mau and Bill Jones, my loved teachers.
Carlos Gaviria
Aprovecho el partido de fútbol de Colombia y que terminé gran parte de mi entrega de tesis de la semana entrante para hablar de Carlos Gaviria. La anterior entrada se la dediqué a Lucho y José Fuentes propuso que hiciera la reflexión del presidente del Polo. Voy a comenzar diciendo las cosas como son, no me gusta Carlos Gaviria y no me gusta la gente que lo rodea. Eso no es impedimento para resaltar su figura académica y su brillante labor en el Congreso y la Corte Constitucional.
Aún así, creo que uno necesita más que ser magistrado y senador para meterse en el ejercicio de la administración pública, que en nuestro país implica negociar con diferentes actores políticos y sociales cómo resolver los problemas que aquejan a nuestros ciudadanos. Sí, él es una persona intachable, no se puede siquiera poner en duda, tanto así que invitó al Presidente Uribe, su principal rival, al lanzamiento de su campaña presidencial hace cuatro años. Un acto de valentía y sinceridad, un mensaje cargado de simbolismo, propio de la democracia, que implica reconocer al contrario y hacerlo partícipe de nuestras decisiones y formas de actuar y pensar.
Nada de su caracter lo tiene preparado para ser presidente, él ha estado siempre acostumbrado a la oposición, parece que nunca se hubiera preparado para gobernar. Me pregunto yo, él qué haría con los militares, con los empresarios, con los congresistas. Sí, él puede ganar la presidencia, hace ocho años nadie daba un peso por Uribe y ahí está (y si no nos unimos, ahí seguirá). Entonces hagamos el ejercicio de imaginar su gobierno, paso fundamental para decidir el voto por él, o cualquier otro candidato.
En el tema de la guerrilla él habla de hacer un acuerdo de paz, que la solución política es la única. Bueno, estamos de acuerdo, a las FARC y al ELN hay que sentarlos y darles un par de dávidas y asegurarnos de que entreguen las armas y demás. El problema es que si él no ha estado interesado ni ha sido capaz de firmar acuerdos con los que piensan de alguna manera parecido (Lucho, los liberales, Fajardo y Mockus) mucho menos va a llegar a ningún Pereira con los guerrilleros, que exigen mucho y ofrecen poco y que no ven en la paz el camino para tomarse el poder.
La economía, tamaño problema en un país de muchos desempleados y pocas opciones para los más pobres. Hace cuatro años él decía que iba a acabar con la legislación laboral y que estaba en contra de todos los tratados de libre comercio. En otras palabras, él piensa enfrentarse al aparato productivo del país, decisión desacertada en un país con un Estado pobre y una empresa privada que gusta de reglas claras y maneja los hilos de millones de vidas y que tras una decisión adversa puede poner a muchos a buscar empleo. Brillante idea señor Gaviria. Lo más ridículo que he escuchado es lo de la ley laboral. Acaso cree que el ejecutivo hace y tumba las leyes, señor ese era el trabajo suyo como legislador o magistrado no lo será como presidente.
Digamos que eso nos sirve para pasar al siguiente punto, las relaciones con el legislativo, en el que los del Polo difícilmente serán mayoría. Pensemos que haya una coalición de centro izquierda con unos 40 senadores y menos de 50 representantes. A Gaviria se le olvida que el Polo es fuerte en Bogotá, La Guajira y Nariño, el resto de regiones están dominadas por las estructuras políticas tradicionales, en esencia conservadoras y ligadas a la economía local. Entonces, tumbar la ley laboral con una mayoría contraria parece un escenario mentiroso. Ni pensar en reformar las instituciones a su antojo o cambiar las políticas económicas, ampliar el gasto del Estado o dejar de lado las negociaciones para ganarse un par de voticos.
Ahora viene el problema del equipo de trabajo. En los 8 años que lleva Uribe la estructura del Estado ha sido copada por sus amigos y, en menor grado, por tecnócratas que entraron en los pocos concursos que se han llevado a cabo. Ellos saben trabajar al ritmo y con las ideas del presidente actual. Será que Gaviria los piensa reemplazar a todos. No tiene la fuerza electoral ni política para hacerlo. El otro problema serán los reclamos de sus amigos Moreno Rojas, Dussan, Robledo, Borda.
Hablando de Borda, qué va a hacer con los del Partido Comunista que todavía, pobres ilusos, creen en la combinación de todas las formas de lucha, ellos se van a vincular al gobierno o van a ser rechazados a tiempo. Qué va a pasar con los militares, los va a desmontar, va a acabar con las políticas de mejoramiento del equipamiento técnico de la fuerza pública y se van a retraer las unidades de los frentes de guerra cerca a dónde están los líderes de la guerrilla. Qué va a pasar con las unidades militares y policiales que llegaron a pueblos dónde no había fuerza pública, allá se va a acabar eso en aras a tener una mejor relación con aquellos que lo ayudaron a elegir. Muchas preguntas, pocas respuestas.
Finalmente voy a recordar que él fue el que tumbó la ley de cuotas en la Corte, entonces ¿eso quiere decir que las mujeres no van a estar incluidas en su proyecto político? ¿Qué pasa con el aborto, la eutanasia, los derechos LGBT, las relaciones con USA, con Venezuela, con Ecuador, con Europa? ¿Va a seguir quejándose en el exterior de las fuerzas militares de las que sería jefe supremo?
Me genera dudas señor Gaviria y desde ya le aviso, en la consulta del Polo voy a votar por Petro, para que ud pierda. Ojalá ud no sea el que termine en la competencia "reñida" con Uribe, porque en ese caso que entre el diablo y escoja y yo voto en blanco.
Aún así, creo que uno necesita más que ser magistrado y senador para meterse en el ejercicio de la administración pública, que en nuestro país implica negociar con diferentes actores políticos y sociales cómo resolver los problemas que aquejan a nuestros ciudadanos. Sí, él es una persona intachable, no se puede siquiera poner en duda, tanto así que invitó al Presidente Uribe, su principal rival, al lanzamiento de su campaña presidencial hace cuatro años. Un acto de valentía y sinceridad, un mensaje cargado de simbolismo, propio de la democracia, que implica reconocer al contrario y hacerlo partícipe de nuestras decisiones y formas de actuar y pensar.
Nada de su caracter lo tiene preparado para ser presidente, él ha estado siempre acostumbrado a la oposición, parece que nunca se hubiera preparado para gobernar. Me pregunto yo, él qué haría con los militares, con los empresarios, con los congresistas. Sí, él puede ganar la presidencia, hace ocho años nadie daba un peso por Uribe y ahí está (y si no nos unimos, ahí seguirá). Entonces hagamos el ejercicio de imaginar su gobierno, paso fundamental para decidir el voto por él, o cualquier otro candidato.
En el tema de la guerrilla él habla de hacer un acuerdo de paz, que la solución política es la única. Bueno, estamos de acuerdo, a las FARC y al ELN hay que sentarlos y darles un par de dávidas y asegurarnos de que entreguen las armas y demás. El problema es que si él no ha estado interesado ni ha sido capaz de firmar acuerdos con los que piensan de alguna manera parecido (Lucho, los liberales, Fajardo y Mockus) mucho menos va a llegar a ningún Pereira con los guerrilleros, que exigen mucho y ofrecen poco y que no ven en la paz el camino para tomarse el poder.
La economía, tamaño problema en un país de muchos desempleados y pocas opciones para los más pobres. Hace cuatro años él decía que iba a acabar con la legislación laboral y que estaba en contra de todos los tratados de libre comercio. En otras palabras, él piensa enfrentarse al aparato productivo del país, decisión desacertada en un país con un Estado pobre y una empresa privada que gusta de reglas claras y maneja los hilos de millones de vidas y que tras una decisión adversa puede poner a muchos a buscar empleo. Brillante idea señor Gaviria. Lo más ridículo que he escuchado es lo de la ley laboral. Acaso cree que el ejecutivo hace y tumba las leyes, señor ese era el trabajo suyo como legislador o magistrado no lo será como presidente.
Digamos que eso nos sirve para pasar al siguiente punto, las relaciones con el legislativo, en el que los del Polo difícilmente serán mayoría. Pensemos que haya una coalición de centro izquierda con unos 40 senadores y menos de 50 representantes. A Gaviria se le olvida que el Polo es fuerte en Bogotá, La Guajira y Nariño, el resto de regiones están dominadas por las estructuras políticas tradicionales, en esencia conservadoras y ligadas a la economía local. Entonces, tumbar la ley laboral con una mayoría contraria parece un escenario mentiroso. Ni pensar en reformar las instituciones a su antojo o cambiar las políticas económicas, ampliar el gasto del Estado o dejar de lado las negociaciones para ganarse un par de voticos.
Ahora viene el problema del equipo de trabajo. En los 8 años que lleva Uribe la estructura del Estado ha sido copada por sus amigos y, en menor grado, por tecnócratas que entraron en los pocos concursos que se han llevado a cabo. Ellos saben trabajar al ritmo y con las ideas del presidente actual. Será que Gaviria los piensa reemplazar a todos. No tiene la fuerza electoral ni política para hacerlo. El otro problema serán los reclamos de sus amigos Moreno Rojas, Dussan, Robledo, Borda.
Hablando de Borda, qué va a hacer con los del Partido Comunista que todavía, pobres ilusos, creen en la combinación de todas las formas de lucha, ellos se van a vincular al gobierno o van a ser rechazados a tiempo. Qué va a pasar con los militares, los va a desmontar, va a acabar con las políticas de mejoramiento del equipamiento técnico de la fuerza pública y se van a retraer las unidades de los frentes de guerra cerca a dónde están los líderes de la guerrilla. Qué va a pasar con las unidades militares y policiales que llegaron a pueblos dónde no había fuerza pública, allá se va a acabar eso en aras a tener una mejor relación con aquellos que lo ayudaron a elegir. Muchas preguntas, pocas respuestas.
Finalmente voy a recordar que él fue el que tumbó la ley de cuotas en la Corte, entonces ¿eso quiere decir que las mujeres no van a estar incluidas en su proyecto político? ¿Qué pasa con el aborto, la eutanasia, los derechos LGBT, las relaciones con USA, con Venezuela, con Ecuador, con Europa? ¿Va a seguir quejándose en el exterior de las fuerzas militares de las que sería jefe supremo?
Me genera dudas señor Gaviria y desde ya le aviso, en la consulta del Polo voy a votar por Petro, para que ud pierda. Ojalá ud no sea el que termine en la competencia "reñida" con Uribe, porque en ese caso que entre el diablo y escoja y yo voto en blanco.
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