Madrid, Spain - Within the framework of the international seminar “Grandes desafíos de Iberoamérica” (Great challenges of Iberoamerica), sponsored by the International Foundation for Freedom -headed by Literature Nobel Prize Winner Mario Vargas Llosa-; Guatemalan businessman and communicator Dionisio Gutiérrez made a presentation where he exposed the issues of the Central American region.
During the forum, Gutiérrez declared that "Central America has great social and economic problems; but the true issue is politics, we are not prepared to govern (…) In the last 40 years we have had transitional and felonious governments, consequently we can´t build a project of nation with a long-term vision". Therefore, he explained, he founded in Guatemala the project “Escuela de Gobierno” (School of Government), which has graduated nearly 200 students at a Master´s degree in Public Management and Leadership.
Moreover, he indicated that the Central American elite has been apathetical regarding political issues in their countries, "especially the business sector with little engagement, suffering an alarming political autism; such as the academy that is locked in their libraries, far away from the politic life."
Later, Gutiérrez held a meeting with Brazilian judge Sergio Moro, in which they exchanged reflections regarding corruption in Latin America and the fights that Brazil and Guatemala have fought in an attempt to extinguish it.
During the forum, Moro stated that “It is necessary to bring an institutional response to those cases of great corruption” and that “once guiltiness is proved, it is necessary to have those convicted pay, no matter how powerful they are”. He added that “the guilty should not only be condemned, but incentives to avoid corruption have to be created”.
Dionisio Gutiérrez pointed that “the detachment to the political system, the lack of trust in institutions, and above all, the terrible results of our governments have made us envision politics as a mechanism that produces corruption and poverty.”
He concluded saying that: “Liberal values, freedom, rule of law, and democracy need to be rescued to straighten the way to the future of Latin America”.
Other leaders who exposed about the issues of the region were: Antonio Ledezma, former Major of Caracas, Cristián Larrouleet, former Minister of Presidency of Chile; Alvaro Vargas Llosa, writer and journalists; Manel Valls, candidate for major in Barcelona 2019, among others.
