*Absences, data and Hail Marys of others
*Missed opportunity for “change”
In the midst of the cold on the Boyacá Bridge, the Government celebrated a year in command of the country yesterday. To do this, time and again he brought up the slogan of “change”, both in the presidential speech as well as in the cabinet’s previous proclamations and communiqués (with Nicolás Petro’s piano on top).
The “change” thing was, of course, to be expected since the palace strategist, the Spanish Antoni Gutiérrez-Rubí, ordered to modify the propaganda slogans in the first Hatogrande conclave, some time ago. And so it has been happening, both at the head of the president and on behalf of any secondary assistant, seeking some popular harmony. Connection that, however, does not sink in, judging by the desert of the “balconazos” and the lonely and disconcerting atmosphere in the Casa de Nariño, according to the infidelity of one of the many outgoing ministers in these twelve months.
In principle, there were two outstanding points for his absence. On the one hand, after one year of possession, the sword of the Liberator was not the protagonist, when the battle that took place in that territory was precisely the one that allowed the independence cause to not return; induced Morillo’s retirement; he made viable the way to the right of nations; it changed the axis of the war and opened the floodgates from Carabobo to Ayacucho. Of his, it is known that Morillo himself, in his reports to the Peninsula, took for granted, going forward, the victory of the liberating troops from Bogotá to Lima. The symbolic and incorruptible pre-adolescent peasant, Pedro Pascasio, was also not mentioned, who, as is also known, was the hero who did not allow himself to be bought by Barreiro and handed him over to the libertarian forces.
On the other hand, nothing happened, it would be due to the telluric political circumstances, the much-announced ministerial change. So that the members of the cabinet who were apparently on edge can consider themselves ratified, unless a more appropriate moment is being sought for the procedure and the adjustment occurs with the quotas of the parties that perhaps believe that, even and with everything, The bureaucratic and clientelist assembly of a new coalition is still feasible, and the national agreement so many times proposed is believed to be viable.
From this perspective, what did remain unscathed on the agenda was the constant and erudite giddy intonation of the prevailing advertising slogan (change) with the additions of the usual divisive demagogy. Nothing new in the distance, it could be said, if it is not because an excess of voluntarism with the figures, being benevolent, and certain other people’s Hail Marys were the main notes. It would suffice, for the purposes, to review the blatant contradiction between many of the official data, in various key matters, with what was sustained in the presidential speech. And even less reasonable is to have brought executions from others as if they had been the sole and exclusive orbit of the current government.
It is well known, for example, that the last lawsuit with Nicaragua was won, fortunately, thanks to a long-standing State policy. Likewise, it is rigorous to say, with all the letters, that the eventual success of the anti-inflation policy comes from an independent body, such as the Banco de la República. And no less must be added that the decrease in unemployment is due, in large part, to the Colombian business community which, even in such an adverse economic situation, has maintained its payrolls, even without an employment policy in sight and thanks, also, to the own current of the Colombian economy. As it is also at least inelegant ‒for not using other terms‒, to have accused the previous government of having borrowed (in addition, to a much lesser extent than the thresholds and credit offers at hand) to face the pandemic, in which Colombia it was successful in some relevant aspects. It goes without saying that the country has had one of the cleanest energy matrixes in the world for a long time, so the transition can and should be done without so much scandal.
It is natural, of course, that the government tries to pass the political bill on what it considers its achievements and even, as has become the custom in all administrations, classifies them as historic, even coming from previous policies such as basic income. But, also, with his feet on the ground, this speech could have served at least to draw the attention of the ministers to such low (historical) budget execution and straighten out the path of so many improvisations and short circuits in the peace policy, in the reforms and, in general, throughout the public administration. It is a pity that the opportunity had been lost (…), in search of true change.