How many good books came out for the last Bogotá Book Fair. One that I really liked is Parapolitics: history of the greatest assault on democracy in Colombia (Planet).
In it, several people involved in the process of uncovering the intimate intertwining between the political system and paramilitarism in Colombia tell how they did it, what they felt and what consequences they faced. Well, in fact, a good part of them suffered exile and threats. Not to mention that the authors followed the clues that were reaching them in the midst of the suffocating climate fostered by a government marked by three characteristics: ultra-popular, very intemperate and the focus of the scandal that was simmering.
The book contains many teachings. It shows how deep knowledge of a topic (our political system, in this case) along with a good dose of detective nose can lead to powerful findings. Not to mention the gems of understanding about how that system works that can be found on many pages. Of all of them, I am left with this fabulous statement attributed to Juan Carlos Martínez Sinisterra (who had to know it): “A mayor’s office is more profitable than a shipment of cocaine.”
The events recounted in that text occurred not long ago, 20 short years, and contain a couple of simple lessons about the path traveled. Said in the simplest way possible: the two governments of former President Uribe were of national unity and extraordinary illegalities. Plagued by drug trafficking and with unspeakable human costs. That was inevitable, since Uribe was the hinge that articulated the demands of multiple actors, above the dividing line between legality and illegality. Her program had to be implemented at any cost. This is attested to from the attacks on the Supreme Court and the opposition to the massive extrajudicial executions known as false positives, through re-election, Yiddish politics, etc. Also, the paramilitary takeover of several universities, which did not deserve a bat of the eyelashes from the Uribistas, despite their well-known and deep concern for university autonomy.
The parapoliticians were so important to those governments that in their case they even dropped the fig leaf of plausible deniability (“vote for me while you’re not in jail”).
What happened with Duque, years later, seemed so deplorable because it maintained the same orientation, but the great unity around it had already evaporated.
And, well, yes, because it was indeed deplorable. But this is where the reasons for astonishment begin. Because, despite the overwhelming evidence, a certain nostalgic narrative has been acquiring citizenship, which suggests that we lived in a world of harmony, until we became “polarized” between right and left. There were problems, yes, but we were making progress (ask the mothers of Soacha or the relatives of the number of people fumigated by the parapoliticians’ friends, see if they agree). Then, “extreme ideologies” came to our attention. Be careful: something terrible could happen.
Santos, in particular, should know: man, the terrible thing has already happened and in a massive way. Right under his nose. While he was a senior Uribe official. Also, during his governments. All with re-election, for the rest. Santos does not have the face to propose what he is proposing. The same applies to many others. Mexico is a very different country from ours, but there that same story (also with coup incitements) led to an electoral catastrophe and Sheinbaum’s massive and well-deserved victory.
There would be another way to approach things. We could bet on a country with more discussion, with less “unity” (that, in any case, is no longer possible), but a little more open and inclusive. And, with any luck, less of a bully. With agreements so that things do not get out of hand and with real diversity in political options.
