INTERVIEW: Juan Manuel Santos PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA
"Colombia needs to make much progress in social justice"
JAVIER MORENO 13/02/2011
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1 .- A TRAITOR CLASS. De be true that Juan Manuel Santos has been training to be president since I was little, and never ceases to repeat any in Bogota who is required to their opinion, it is then obliged to recognize here at this very moment in which Colombia seeks to ward off ghosts permanently in its history, the first six months of its mandate under almost any scale are a great reward for his early vocation.
not only won the election with nearly 70% of popular vote, the highest percentage in recent history, but for the moment, it is difficult to find a single voice, even among those who were suspicious of his rise or his ill-concealed desire for power, which manifests itself openly in against. His ratings after the first hundred days of presidency exceeded 90%.
And so starts the interview. You have achieved a rare unanimity in their first months in office, I say, sitting in his office. You surprised his supporters, has confounded his critics, some of which, as I have seen these days, now appreciate its earlier decisions, the first ad and seems to dazzle you with its charm, which, incidentally, is not obvious at first sight to almost everyone, inside and outside Colombia, starting from Caracas, marina recognized difficulty bullfighting in Latin American politics. Perhaps he had it all planned out, even this, because it seems so early to strategize.
- No, no. This has emerged spontaneously. But I also believe that what is emerging is a way of thinking that it was no secret. I had been writing for a long time about all I'm doing. I was born into a family very liberal, liberal in the political sense of the word. I think this country needs to move much on social justice. Much progress on healing the wounds that the violence has stopped and forced us to think and always discuss about the past and the future. If we can heal those wounds and better distribute the wealth they are creating, this country is unstoppable.
late last year, Santos read a biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a politician who, along with Winston Churchill, equally aroused admiration and a determination to emulation in the young Colombian with 30 years he settled in London during nine years to represent his country in the International Coffee Organization. Consciously or not, half joking and half serious, the president made a glimpse of the breadth of his ambition to Colombia when, showing the book to the journalist Patricia Lara said in an interview aboard the presidential plane on December 31 at the end of its mandate is known, as well as Roosevelt during his as a traitor to his class. The title of the book of HW Brand, A Traitor to His Class. The privileged life and radical presidency of Franklin Roosevelt [A traitor to his class. Privileged life and radical presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt] contains another allusion to his personal circumstances whose relevance Santos certainly could not ignore: Like Roosevelt, the current president, 59, belongs by birth to the oligarchy national since Colombia is Colombia and his life has been marked by the corresponding privileges, wealth, influence and, indeed, class, the latter means what it means in modern societies. Santos
not hidden. Nor is there a humane way to do it: his great uncle, Eduardo Santos Montejo, was president of Colombia between 1938 and 1942 and for decades the newspaper owner El Tiempo, the country's most influential, the head of which had always been a Santos or another, and where the current president of the Republic became deputy director. For decades, Weather has held chairs, lay ministers and has been identified policies government in one way or another, by hook or the hard way. Juan Manuel Santos had been able to finish the editor, by general consensus, if there decided in 1991 to unleash a crisis in the family to break the taboo from uncle tacitly prohibited the Saints make the jump to politics. [ Weather was acquired by Metro in 2007, an operation that also sought the Grupo Prisa, publisher of El País].
Details of the little drama he has explained in a recent book (Almost the whole truth. Journalism and power Maria Isabel Rueda). Tempted by an offer from then-president, César Gaviria, to join his government as minister and as pointed out that doubted, Juan Manuel Santos sought the advice of an old journalist and friend who occasionally helped him to write editorials in the newspaper: "In life you have to know the difference between influence and power, "he said. "Influence is what you had in Weather all these years. Power can only have when you say 'please and fulfill.' I of you, do not hesitate a moment."
Santos did not hesitate a moment, if anything had harbored doubts at some point. On November 10, 1991, El Tiempo, led by her uncle Hernando Santos, published the following editorial: "In due course the Government was notified that appointments of this kind, far from satisfying the vanity or the information needs of the newspaper, was an act that could not be considered friendly. Dr. Juan Manuel Santos is today a character who leaves the journalism and is separated from Time to engage in activities that are sure to fit more with his personality. A Juan Manuel Santos wish you success. But Weather reiterates its opposition to any of its officers occupying official positions. That is this clear for today, tomorrow, for the current government and those who happen to President Gaviria. " None
pay any attention to that admonition. And the question today, beyond that tear the parties are familiar by now passed, with Juan Manuel Santos as president of the Republic after serving in various ministries, is to find out how much truth there is in the story claims that the newly elected president runs the risk of a rejection of a class which undoubtedly recognized as one of their own, but begins to suspect that much of their political projects and its apparent determination to carry it forward.
"Some people are saying that I'm betraying a class to which I belong. I do not deny nor my past or my background. I I come from a family that has been very prominent in the country, a newspaper owner who is serving just one hundred years, and then many people say, "Look, if you put up an agenda with a strong emphasis on social, that is inconsistent with its origin. " I'm dying of laughter. It's stupid to say that.
- Is it stupid because you think it will happen, you end up considering a traitor to his class, or because they happen, not worried at all?
"Because the people who have worked honestly and acquired their land within the law need not fear. Those who are to fear, and they do have to fear are those that have displaced millions of peasants and appropriated millions of hectares of illicitly. These were indeed going to be victims of this policy, because they are going to take.
President Refers to the land law, still in the process, which plans to return two million hectares of more than five million estimated that both the landlords, with the support of paramilitary groups and guerrillas seized in decades to millions of peasants, which consequently have been displaced from their homes under threat of assassination. The good intention of the law is nevertheless contrasted with the chronic difficulty of the state to exercise the legitimate monopoly of violence throughout the territory, which threatens to rule a dead letter as soon as you try to implement in earnest in the interior of the country, too far away from political and economic center, but too close to violence.
"That is indeed a great challenge and that we will need help of all kinds, international aid as well. There are many enemies, beginning with the owners who took possession of the land illegally, many of them linked to paramilitary groups past and today with influence on criminal gangs, their own guerrilla who has land and may also be interested in this job boycott . So there are going to test the ability of the state to implement a policy as ambitious as this.
2 .- "an unexpected turn to the left? The interview was held last Wednesday at noon at the Presidential Palace, the official residence of President of the Republic in Bogotá. Santos is delayed prior to lunch, which also assists the chancellor, Angela Maria Holguin. As director of a meeting at the Ministry of Information Technology, on which the minister, Diego Molano, a young man from the private sector, discussed later: "In all my life in the private sector had not had a meeting so hard and as demanding as this. It was more like a CEO with a meeting of executive government. "
already in his office, asked the president if the land law and the victims, seeking redress and remedy to many victims of violence, the planned tax changes or his new rhetoric, from the discourse of power which characterized him as defense minister of former President, Alvaro Uribe, clearly positioned on the right, indicate a shift to the center left.
From the office window in the facade north of the palace, overlooks the courtyard, where a military band strikes without mercy again and again the strains of Funiculi, Funicula, the popular Neapolitan ditty interpret plans, along with the hymns of Colombia and the countries concerned, in the presentation of credentials of a group of ambassadors scheduled for that afternoon, including English, Nicolás Martín Cinto. Between appointments another, Santos is on the agenda to receive César Alierta, chairman of Telefónica.
- Am I wrong if I said I thought it detect a slight shift to the center or center-left on their way to minister to president, always within the fluidity and vagueness that characterize ideological political parties in Colombia?
"These definitions of where one of the political spectrum for me have always been very difficult to accept. I've always been what they call "third way." Even wrote a book about why the third way [in collaboration with Tony Blair]. I love the pragmatism of Felipe González, who is also a great friend of mine. I was very tough with the guerrillas when I was Minister of Defense, but when it comes to guerrilla warfare is not that one either left or right. It is the authority and must fight for survival of a people. That is the obligation of anyone, wherever you are in the political spectrum. But if it forces me to define myself, I define the center tip.
- Where do you think make the fiscal resources needed to build a viable state? Do you think you can get without confronting the rich and powerful?
-Colombia has had a tradition of macroeconomic prudence and responsibility. The economy is growing at high rates. Our tax rates are quite high, what happens is that there is much evasion. There's a big field to increase the resources and we are doing. The development plan has a revenue forecast that is consistent with the expenses we have. And we're in a mining and oil bonanza will give us enough resources, I hope, to do what is in the plan over the next four years.
"You are designing or having a vision of the future for Colombia which seems quite difficult to complete in just four years ....
"I would be able to do in just four years. I'm working with all the dedication, intensity and speed to do so in four years, because I have great conviction, and that for a country is the most important are its institutions. But if you ask me if I'm thinking about re-election ...
"Indeed, I am asking for re-election.
"Then the answer is no. I hope not to have to re-elect, be completed in four years and end my life looking backwards with enough satisfaction.
3 .- U.S. CHAVEZ AND AT THE SAME TIME. On 10 August last year, just three days after taking possession, Santos starred in the most stunning turn of his presidency, flew to the estate of Santa Marta, Venezuela, where Hugo Chavez embraced. The Venezuelan president was disqualified in the starkest terms with Santos as defense minister, had promised a war if he wins the elections and, in general, had maintained a constant battle with Alvaro Uribe that led to a rupture of diplomatic relations and a real fear to a conflict between the two countries dragged the entire region into a deep destabilization. Before the astonished eyes of their fellow Latin American media, in addition to Washington, Santos appeared in four hours to fix a fight years ago. Impossible, therefore, extract more performance from a hug, I say.
performance"Very much indeed. Look, is that when we, in Venezuela there was no dialogue, there was no diplomatic relations, there was no trade, there was no chance that we could give a penny of debt we had. Chavez is now fueling our enemies from their territory. Before, there was talk of something that seemed to me inconceivable war. Then we had the worst of all worlds. What we have today is really different. We have a dialogue, we have diplomatic relations, we trade, we have paid part of the debts and even have a security cooperation.
- And all was achieved with a simple gesture like that?
-is that gestures in politics and life are essential. President Chavez and I have traditionally had a very complicated because we had told each other things too aggressive. But I asked if I had changed my mind and I said, "is that now I am president and I have a responsibility to the Colombian people." I have always maintained that a can have good relations with people, whether with neighbors or with the president, even if one thinks the exact opposite, where differences are respected and that's what we set out with President Chavez. I will not pretend to think like me, who becomes a liberal Democrat, and I'll go a Bolivarian revolution, but if we respect the differences and he does not get in my Colombian affairs, and I'll get in Venezuelan affairs , we can have relationships as we are having. I think well win the two peoples, the Venezuelan and Colombian.
"Anyway, I recognize that it is worrying that the region has been on the brink of war only by the character two leaders ...
"But history is full of examples where the character of leaders, the enmity of the leaders, determine the future of entire peoples. So the story, unfortunately.
-Chávez pledged not to allow the presence of armed groups outside the law. Did you know that have been closed FARC camps?
"We are not aware and that can not be done overnight. He is committed to non-presence of groups and we are seeing more guerrilla presence on our side. And we are delivering for the first time people caught there. I hope that continues because for us it is very important.
"Anyway, that Chávez is that his" new best friend ", do not believe anyone, starting with him ...
"It's an irony. I said ironically, but I have very clear that I have a cordial and constructive relationship with him. That's very good to very good for Venezuela and Colombia.
"Some believe or fear, or claim to believe or fear, which Colombia is moving away from the United States. What basis does this have?
-None. I am very pro-American. And I will continue to be very pro-American, but that does not preclude a friend to other countries. Perhaps what we are doing is diversifying our international relations and thus reduce their reliance U.S.. But in no way my approach to other countries means that I'm away from the United States.
"The new closeness with Chavez may have influenced the feeling.
"But are not exclusive, is more, Americans are very pleased with the closeness with Chavez because it means that the region will have a source of conflict and difficulty. And Chavez is not to say that I go back anti-American because I have cordial relations with him, so that was not the principle of mutual exclusion, on the contrary, it can also complement.
"The other issue is the freezing of the authorization for use by U.S. troops from bases in Colombia.
"I do not worry them. They understood perfectly that there is no change here compared to what we wanted before. What happened is that there were very poor management by the American government and the Colombian government in explaining what it meant that agreement and allowed the arming really a storm in a glass of water.
"Anyway, there seems to be a feeling in Colombia do not understand why if they are considered strategic allies with the United States still do not have a free trade agreement (FTA).
"It's a sentiment that is growing. The ordinary Colombians do not understand often the U.S. domestic politics, the difficulties between the parties. We have been too long, more than four years. The point of the treaty, rather than market access, safety is the game for investment. This really could have hurt us a bit. But right now, look at the irony, whose best interest the treaty is the United States because they get paid tariffs for products exported to Colombia and are losing ground. Have lost market share in all their agricultural products to Canada, Argentina and Brazil. That is, as we continue passing the preferences [tariff exemptions], the losers they are.
-No you are playing poker with them by TLC [Santos, like Roosevelt, like the deck and is a great player].
"No, no, many people tell me that I went to Chavez, or that my first visit to France to produce jealousy United States. No, there is nothing like that, I have a great relationship with President Obama and the two parties, both Republican and Democrat.
- And when to pass?
"I think this year is approved.
- Do you have collateral of some kind?
"I have information. O approving the treaty this year or no treaty. I believe that beyond this year is difficult to pass.
4 .- THE MORAL AND DEMOCRACY: A LESSON. How long can withstand the institutions of a country, without collapsing, the combination of a guerrilla attack that lasted 40 years and has come to lay siege to cities and towns occupy; of tens of thousands of paramilitary groups that fought but were as murderers like her or the drug cartels in times more powerful on the continent, bringing down civilian planes, kidnapped and assassinated politicians and citizens? How to maintain sanity and faith in democracy as the secret services spied on the Supreme Court, dozens of legislators from the governing party are accused by their relations with the paramilitaries, and some thirty of them end up in jail? How to murder military assimilate than two thousand peasants, students, trade unionists, the outcast of every kind, the so-called false positives , to pass them off as guerrillas killed and collect the corresponding rewards and promotions?
All this happens or has happened in Colombia. And yet, the institutions of the democratic system not only hold up but, overall, probably work better than any other country in the region, this property which has remained unchanged over most of last century, at a time when almost the entire subcontinent succumbed in one way or another to authoritarianism in all its forms.
Justice investigators, prosecutors and the press act complaint despite the close ties that characterize the establishment Colombia and in many other countries serve only to kidnap institutions. It was precisely week, a respected political weekly, owned by Felipe Lopez, the son and grandson of presidents, and directed by Alejandro Santos, nephew of the current president, who played a key role in the scandal of false positives .
Juan Manuel Santos, then minister Defence and superior of the accused officers, is now the president. Does it make it more a hindrance to the proper functioning of the institutions, judges, research?
"In these false extrajudicial, called false positives, was just me with the support of President Uribe who made arrangements for those who disappeared and we did it in a strong, transparent. We take all steps to be taken with the UN High Commissioner, who happened to be around here. So I say that this is an example for the rest of the world and the end result is that false positives disappeared. There are no reports of false positives . The case now is that people who were responsible to pay. More than 200 convictions in the judicial system and what we are doing is giving full support to the authorities and the judiciary to be able to judge, because the Army itself also agree that the guilty pay, but also be declared innocent innocent, because here there have been many false claims.
the background, always, as a harrowing osstinato basso, echoes the endless conflict with the guerrillas. Precisely the interview on Wednesday at 6.30 am, the FARC released the first of five prisoners whose release was waiting for the next few days. Could this be a change in the face of a possible dialogue?
-On behalf of myself, no. It is not enough, I said. I have repeated many times. Colombia has suffered much the deceptions of the guerrillas. I said I need much more than the release of five hostages to show me that there really is a desire for peace and worth starting some dialogue. Have often used these dialogues and negotiations to re-strengthen, to gain military or political space, as commonly say in my country and I think in Spain also, do not castrate the dog twice.
The military band strikes furiously Funiculi, Funicula à for the umpteenth time in a lively counterpoint to the solemnity unintentionally dripping with the last words of the president. Santos then rises, takes his leave with great courtesy and leaves to get to Caesar Alierta.
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/reportajes/Colombia/necesita/avanzar/mucho/justicia/social/elpepusocdmg/20110213elpdmgrep_1/Tes in
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