The new mayor of Cartagena de Indias, Dumek Turbay, began his mandate this Monday with a somewhat peculiar request: an exorcism. Turbay announced that the office in the Customs Palace must be purified, following his predecessor and political rival, William Dau, who led the city from there for four years. “I ask the Catholic Church, and I mean it, to perform an exorcism,” stated Turbay, emphasizing his belief in the need for purification.
Displeased with his predecessor’s management, Turbay has kept his word by avoiding the office in the Customs Palace and instead working from the Palacio de la Proclamación, another historic building in Cartagena’s historic center. He has already started working on retaking the historic center from the hands of the Police, which he believes was neglected during Dau’s tenure.
Turbay won the elections by positioning himself as the anti-Dau candidate and vowed to bring change to the city. The rivalry between the two politicians was characterized by public mocking and aggressive behavior. Dau’s popularity declined during the pandemic, and his unpredictable personality became increasingly controversial, leading to an approval rating of just 36%.
However, Dau’s controversial conduct and management will soon be a thing of the past, as Turbay takes over as the new mayor of Cartagena and begins to restore the city to its former glory. The city’s residents are now looking forward to a new chapter under Turbay’s leadership.