In the second electoral round, Colombia decided its future and with it, part of the future of Latin America. After years of enormous sacrifice and effort to implement and maintain a policy of democratic security, respect for freedoms, strengthening of the rule of law, free trade, greater openness to the world and even the commitment to become an innovation hub and pioneer of orange economy (creative economy), all these advances, its stability and institutionality, are today at risk.
When Hugo Chávez governed Venezuela, there was a time when Colombia was the only country free from the influence of Castro-Chavismo thanks to the leadership of President Álvaro Uribe Vélez, to whom Colombia and all Latin Americans owe so much. His enormous patriotism, courage and humility should be the beacon that guides any leader determined to defend freedom and democracy in the Western Hemisphere. His testimony and legacy are and will always be a source of inspiration.
While Cuba was governed by Fidel, Ecuador by Correa, Brazil by Lula, Argentina by Cristina, Bolivia by Evo and Chile by Bachelet; Colombia was an oasis of freedom and democracy in the midst of the Bolivarian wave that has plunged its neighbors into populism of the socialist left.
During these years, the United States has had in Colombia a strategic ally and a reliable partner; the jewel in the crown that the Latin American socialists grouped in the Sao Paulo Forum have wanted for a long time.
Gustavo Petro does not hide his intentions. A former guerrilla and openly socialist, he threatens to reverse and completely change the reality of Colombia by aligning himself with the socialist agenda of the Sao Paulo Forum and with the interests of narco-terrorism. Its close relationship with the Venezuelan dictatorship and criminal groups poses a very great threat, since the border between the two countries could become blurred to become a space of greater polarization in which powers such as Russia and China or allies such as Iran could, from there , expand its influence throughout the region.
It is clear that anti-establishment sentiment has grown in Latin America as a result of the lack of inclusive growth and prosperity. This continues to generate surprises in many electoral processes and Colombia was no exception. The wear and tear caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, its economic and social implications, have caused discomfort and frustration in people who, desperate, become prey to promises and magical solutions like those proposed by Petro, who takes advantage of vulnerability of millions of Colombians to manipulate and offer a path that evidence and recent history show failed.
The problem is that the lack of true alternatives to combat populism generates other types of options and narratives that, without greater certainty, offer paths that are not necessarily the solution. With Petro’s victory, the Sao Paulo Forum is strengthened as its influence will grow throughout the region. The most evident proof is the victorious tone with which the dictators Díaz-Canel of Cuba and Maduro of Venezuela, together with López Obrador, Evo, Boric and other presidents of the socialist left, have congratulated and celebrated the triumph of their friend, the guerrilla Colombian.
If the predictions about the possible radicalization of Petro are true, the United States would lose a great ally in the hemisphere and, worse still, the influence of Russia, China and Iran among its closest neighbors would grow. The growing wave of triumphs on the part of the socialist left in Latin America sets off warning signs.
From Mexico through Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and soon to be defined Brazil, socialists associated with criminal groups are advancing the agenda of the Sao Paulo Forum in alliance with Russia, China and Iran. The United States does not want its own hemisphere to be a space dominated by its geopolitical rivals.
They will be very difficult years in almost all of Latin America. For Colombians, this new reality is a wake-up call to unite and save their country, to ensure that the long democratic tradition that has defined them is maintained despite its enormous challenges. Today more than ever, the Western Hemisphere needs courageous citizens willing to defend freedom. We cannot give up defending our future.
*The author is the founding president of the Ágora AC Strategic Thought Institute (IPEA). First Think Tank of young Mexicans and One million young people for Mexico.
Twitter: @armando_regil