El día llegó. Y no precisamente porque se vaya a cumplir el estribillo de la canción que se convirtió en el tema de campaña del candidato del Partido Verde Antanas Mockus “Antanas llegó”. Lo que llegó fue el epílogo de una campaña emocionante que a pocos días de la primera vuelta se volvió predecible y que a vísperas de la segunda, no deja duda alguna de que el próximo presidente de Colombia será Juan Manuel Santos.

El heredero natural de Uribe no obstante no la tuvo fácil. Se enfrentó a un candidato que encarna en buena medida, opuestos interesantes al gobierno actual que se marcaron como nunca en los últimos debates signados por la controversia. Mockus mostró su indignación por haber sido víctima de una campaña negra en la que se dijo todo sobre él: Que era ateo, que acabaría con la policía y algunos programas estatales, que no podría gobernar porque padece del mal de Parkinson. El aspirante, que impregnó su campaña de símbolos como el lápiz y el girasol, terminó andando bajo el brazo con un papel firmado ante notario en el que se comprometía a no hacer todo eso que estaban diciendo de él.

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Mockus, Santos in a Tight Race ahead of Colombian Elections

Campaigning for Colombia’s presidential elections closed on May 23, a week before Colombians head to the voting booths. Recent polls show the two frontrunners—Green Party candidate Antanas Mockus and U Party candidate Juan Manuel Santos—in a close race, with neither pulling in more than 50 percent of the vote needed to avoid a June runoff election. According to an Invamer Gallup poll released on May 24, 37.5 percent of voters would pick Santos, compared to 35.4 percent who would pick Mockus. Should the election go to a second round, the poll shows that Mockus would pull in 48.5 percent compared to 43 percent for Santos.

Commander of Colombian Armed Forces Resigns

General Freddy Padilla, commander of Colombia’s Armed Forces, submitted his resignation to President Álvaro Uribe last week after 40 years of service in the country’s army. Although Padilla has been credited with striking heavy blows to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, his term has also been marked by controversy due to incidents such as the “false positives” scandal. Uribe accepted Padilla’s resignation on May 24. Padilla requested to stay in his post until August 7, when Uribe’s presidential term comes to an end.

Colombian presidential hopeful Antanas Mockus, said in an interview yesterday that, if he is elected, he would seek to normalize trade with Venezuela and use diplomatic channels to diffuse tensions between the two Andean countries, which have intensified in recent years. Mr. Mockus is Colombia’s Green Party candidate for president and has taken the lead in polls in recent weeks ahead of the country’s May 30 elections.

In the interview, Mockus expressed his desire to “choose the path of respect and prudence” with Venezuela but also noted that, “if Venezuela becomes another Cuba, it would be sad for everyone.”  He also discussed relations with the United States and expressed his intention to continue strengthening ties to the United States and to ensure the continuation of the Plan Colombia aid program that has helped Colombia combat narcotrafficking and guerilla groups.