The international community should realize that Juan Manuel Santos, the favored candidate in the upcoming presidential elections, simply represents four more years of Uribe policies: hostility towards neighboring countries, dependence on the United States, violations of human rights, entrenchment of neoliberal policies of privatization, harsh conditions for workers and the people and more free trade agreements.  But what many people don’t realize is that the “opposition” candidate holds similar or even worse positions. Antanas Mockus has declared his support for the agreement allowing the installation of 7 U.S. military bases in Colombia, declaring that “the United States is Colombia’s main partner in the war on drugs. And we need to have U.S. ships, crews and contractors in Colombia”.

Antanas Mockus supports the FTA with the United States by arguing that “The Free Trade Agreement systematizes our interdependence, allows for specialization, and favors long term investment.”

And to top it off, in response to the killing of activists carrying aid to Palestinians in the Gaza strip he stated that the Israeli authorities had been victims of a trap set by the pacifists, calling into question the humanitarian missions and pacifist actions of the international community.

This shows that the so-called opposition candidate will not change the fundamental policies of the current government and will continue their pro-U.S. line. There is no candidate to vote for. Therefore, the total number of blank and null votes cast along with abstentions will indicate the latent dissatisfaction with these elections.

Red Colombiana de Acción Frente al Libre Comercio, RECALCA

Página web: www.recalca.org.co

Bogotá, junio 15 de 2010