All Welcome Antanas Mockus!

'Smile, Mr. Mockus!'

Antanas Mockus, ex-Bogotá mayor, failed presidential candidate and newly-elected senator, appeared on Jimenez Avenue today and was treated like a rock star. 

An unlikely politician, Mockus was a philosophy and mathematics professor and rector of the Universidad Nacional, known for 'eccentricities' such as riding his bicycle to work (why is that eccentric?) and once dropping his pants and displaying his behind to an audience of protesting students.

As mayor, Mockus was known for his probity and for innovative public policies such as employing mimes to teach social responsibility.

He later ran for president and lost, perhaps because people felt that such a man wouldn't be suited to lead a war against leftist guerrillas.

A few years ago, Mockus was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, but he has confronted the disease with stoicism and courage, saying recently that he has years of contributions left to make. As the Green Party's standard bearer, he received the second largest vote of any senatorial candidate.

Perhaps that's why Mockus receives this warm welcome, unusual for a politician and unheard of for a mathematics professor.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

The Empty Vote

A mural by the entrance to the National University urges passersby to 'Vote en Blanco.'

You've probably seen the signs around town: Signs urging Colombians to 'Vote en Blanco': to leave your vote empty.

'Express your indignation.
Colombia votes blank.'

The goal is to persuade more people to leave their ballots blank than vote for the most popular candidate. (However, according to another interpretation of the law, more than half of the ballots must be left blank.) If the blank vote wins, nobody's elected and the election is repeated - with all different candidates.

To the throw-em-all-out crowd, this sounds great. But it would cause wholesale political chaos and uncertainty. And what reason do we have to think that the new, inexperienced politicians elected would be better than the previous ones? In Bolivia, where corruption was rife, friends told me that they always voted to reelect those holding office 'Because they've already filled their pockets thru corruption, while the new ones enter office with their pockets empty.'

Fortunately, there is a better way to replace bad politicians: Vote for somebody else.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours