Editorial of the Razón de Estado program number 253

Once upon a time, there was a forsaken country governed by fat cats, crooks, thieves, drug dealers, and hitmen.

To maintain appearances, the owners of this dark circus called upon the people to vote in an election that, instead of being free and transparent, brought the same traps and lies that have governed it for the past 15 years.

They attempted to carry out a "legal" fraud using public funds, disinformation, lies, and harassment. They thought two of their own would pass to the second round of the election, but they didn't foresee the Arévalo factor.

Even the most daring and mafia-like hunter lets the rabbit escape, and so the citizens, especially the young, who are the majority, voted for the only respectable candidate that remained unbroken to prevent the consummation of a criminal state.

There is enough data indicating that frustration and popular discontent have reached their limit, and elections with a 40% abstention rate, in which a quarter of those who voted nullified or left their vote blank, are symptoms of a dying democracy. But the circus owners are oblivious.

Corruption, incompetence, institutional decay, drug trafficking, and candidates disqualified for being troublesome to the regime caused a protest vote that will choose the next president. A president who will find two branches of government serving the circus's interests rather than the duties of a democratic republic and the rule-of-law.

I have spent 44 years as an activist, gaining more enemies than victories while striving to build democracy, the rule of law, and freedom. Today, I briefly return to that arena for 3 minutes to reflect on how a poorly governed small nation, where those who have caused its destruction are pretending to perpetuate themselves in power, is finding an alternative path to fulfill its aspirations.

The battles to come will be formidable, but the citizens are awakening. The people demand change. The first one is to restore prestige and decency to politics, honor, and respect to the affairs of State.

History teaches us that the path to development and prosperity is a free and democratic republic, one that respects the law, private property, the market, and the values that dignify the human being.

Latin America needs to rebuild its politics. The groups currently governing it will only bring poverty and sadness.

Latin America yearns to once again be a group of nations that live in democracy and freedom, and thus capable of respecting themselves.