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Colombian president eyes new term, but is Betancourt a rival?

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Alvaro Uribe

©2008 Google - Map data ©2008 LeadDog Consulting, MapLink/Tele Atlas, Europa Technologies - Terms of UseColombian president eyes new term, but is Betancourt a rival?
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BOGOTA (AFP) — Colombia's popular President Alvaro Uribe is laying the groundwork this week to run for an unprecedented third mandate, but mystery remains whether he will vie with Ingrid Betancourt, a political rival he is credited with saving from leftist rebels.

Electoral authorities were examining a petition of five million names ahead of what was expected to be a formal move to change the constitution to allow Uribe to seek re-election in 2010, when his current term is up.

The president, Washington's closest ally in Latin America, already had the constitution amended two years after he was first elected to office in 2002 to allow his re-election in 2004.

Previously, the 1991 basic law had not permitted presidents more than a single four-year term.

Uribe, 56, has enjoyed very strong public support throughout his rule, mainly for his unremitting fight against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and another Marxist guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army, which have fomented unrest since the 1960s.

That support peaked as high as 91 percent after a daring operation that freed Betancourt, a dual Colombian-French citizen who was one of Uribe's competitors in the 2002 elections.

Uribe claimed credit for her rescue and that of 14 other FARC hostages, including three US defense contractors, on July 2.

The operation was said to have been a ruse carried out by Colombian soldiers -- one of whom was filmed wearing an insignia of the Red Cross, to the fury of the Swiss-based humanitarian organization.

It was not clear whether Betancourt, who now enjoys enormous sympathy, support and recognition within Colombia and internationally, plans to run again for president.

After her liberation, she did not rule that out, though seemed to suggest she would not be on 2010's ballot, preferring to work to free hundreds of other hostages still held by the FARC.

Betancourt is currently in France with her family, and plans are underway to highlight her extraordinary biography in film and books, which could funnel millions of dollars into a campaign war chest.

For Uribe to have another shot at Colombia's top job, he needs to call a referendum on a change to the constitution.

For that, 1.4 million signatures are required. The petition, delivered Monday by truck, far exceeds that. Congress -- which is dominated by Uribe loyalists -- and the constitutional court need to approve the text for the plebiscite to take place.

"Most of the population want him to stay in power," newspaper editorialist Claudia Lopez said, adding that the procedure underway was "a pure formality."

She added that allegations leveled at Uribe have been largely dismissed by a country enthused by the defeats he has dealt the rebels.

Those allegations include suspicions he was tied to brutal rightwing paramilitary groups who have been combating the rebels with illegal means, including the murders of hundreds of rural residents.

Many lawmakers in Uribe's ruling coalition have recently been arrested for alleged links to the groups.

Uribe has also been accused, in a declassified 1991 US Defense Intelligence Agency report, of once having been implicated in Colombia's billion-dollar cocaine trade and of having been close friends with Pablo Escobar, the notorious drug lord who was killed in a shootout with police in 1993.

The Colombian president has strenuously denied that claim, and the US government, which supplies five billion dollars a year to Colombia's anti-narcotics operations, has distanced itself from it.

Uribe is seen as being so fierce in his battle against the FARC because the rebels killed his father in what was said to be a botched kidnapping. The US intelligence report said his father was murdered for drug ties.

There are a few critics raising their voices against the likely third mandate.

Opposition senator Gustavo Petro, who is another potential presidential candidate, claimed company bosses with state contracts have forced employees to sign the petition, and warned the referendum "won't be only for 2010, but also 2014, 2018."
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By mariacvetanoski on Aug 13, 2008, 12:46 in Politics & the war.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Aug 13, 2008, 12:51:

BUMP

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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deathnova says on Aug 13, 2008, 12:52:

Rival? Why would you run against someone who saved your life? I suppose I have a lot to learn about how stuff works down there..

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Mononoke28 says on Aug 13, 2008, 13:46:

Even if she decides to run for office, she won't win. People like her because she was a victim of the FARC not because she MIGHT be a good leader. That's not enough reason to vote for her in my book.

Diana

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august says on Aug 13, 2008, 15:03:

Why would she want to interrupt the rule of Colombia´s first monarch in hundreds of years? It´s so exciting!

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dtapia says on Aug 13, 2008, 16:45:

She wanted to deal with terrorists.

He wanted to eliminate them.

How could she ever win?

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Gator says on Aug 13, 2008, 19:20:

Not with her present approval rating which is about 25%. When she was running before being kidnapped by FARC, her approval rating was .8%. She got a bost from her release but most do not think it will last.

There is some talk, however, of her taking on Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, for that job.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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romy says on Aug 13, 2008, 19:39:

Not a chance against Uribe... but I don't think the coalition can hold as strong for JM Santos (reason why la U might go with someone else and trying hard to convince Uribe), then you start splitting votes that would have gone to U with the liberal (no clue at this point who but I'm strongly against Gaviria), Polo (probably Petro?), and Independents (Fajardo? Cordoba? Betancourt? Mokus?)
and then it seems Betancourt can make a run for it if she's able to convince the people that Uribe has taken down the 'main' enemy and now it's time for a different approach for problems that seguridad democratica can't resolve.

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Dolfi says on Aug 14, 2008, 06:22:

"Uribe es inteligente. No se presentará candidato"

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Uribe/inteligente/present...

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Gator says on Aug 14, 2008, 07:36:

Kalico, yes. She was not popular before her kidnapping and her antics post release have lost not gained support in Colombia.

I also agree with Dolfi-I don't think he will run again.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Aug 14, 2008, 07:42:

What the story doesn't say about the five million petitions is that 4, 999,998 look like this:

Name
SIMON

Age
25

Location
KENDALL, FLORIDA, USA

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Aug 14, 2008, 07:44:

Gator, this is really something that I don't understand. She was popular enough to be elected a senator with the largest vote turnout ever in Colombian history. She was popular and is, but not just enough amongst the extreme right, the country folks and the uneducated that are easily swayed by populistic demagogy used by Uribe and his supporters. I'm not really critizicing Uribe either; his type of politician is not my cup of tea, but he's done well under his period of presidency; from now it can only be downhill.

BTW, Ingrid betancourt is more popular NOW than sehe ever has been in Colombia. (I think the polls showed 7% support BEFORE the kidnapping and 28% after)

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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Mononoke28 says on Aug 14, 2008, 11:26:

Kidnapping is a great blindfold.

Diana

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Alidad says on Aug 21, 2008, 19:20:

I was in France when she was released, and watched for days as she went from one reception to another, being wined and dined by the great and the good in Paris. Is that going to win her votes in Colombia? She was immediately back in the high life while many remain in the jungle; I am delighted she was freed, but I seem to remember her mother - and practically her children - were accusing President Uribe of blocking her release, if not somehow causing all the violence and injustices of Colombia in the months preceding her release. It is almost as if the liberal rich and friends in Paris expected Colombia's security policy to hover around the patrician captive - what do ordinary people think of that? She almost seemed to live out her captivity in Hello! and Paris Match. Her children were on TV expressing their emotions - are they sparing a thought now for other families waiting and hoping their captured relatives are released or alive at least? Her posters were stuck on the railings of the Jardin du Luxembourg so people would not forget here - I guess you had to be somebody in the first place to 'matter' as a hostage, right? It would be sheer arrogance, ingratitude and presumption on her part to become a presidential candidate. Decency would rather she joined the presidential party or campaigned for Uribe or his successor in the next elections. I live in Mexico, and right now, many I'm sure wished there was an Alvaro Uribe at the helm here.. (I don't mind the rich, I just hate it when they pretend to be left-wing)

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romy says on Aug 21, 2008, 20:20:

does Mexico have money to waste to fight a war that can't be won?

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