Taxi rates
Last week I was in Cartagena, along with a foreign colleague. We were assisting an academic event.
Read MoreFaith, moral, politics
This country’s inspector general is known for his strong religious convictions, which, according to himself, enlighten his public and private life.
Read MoreJudicial Permissions
As it is known, Ruth Mariana Díaz, president of the Supreme Court, was granted permission to travel in a cruise across the Caribbean, along with judges of the tribunal that depend on her vote to be accepted in the Supreme Court.
Read MoreHistoric attacks to the Wiwa indigenous people
The state must act to break the cycle of attacks, abuses and threats committed against the Wiwa indigenous population of the mountain range of Santa Marta.
Read MorePolitics among enemies
In Colombia there are many protagonists of the politic debate that those who are not with them are their enemies. A perfect example of this can be seen in the declarations that were given this week by Jose Obdulio Gaviria about the general Naranjo, in which he suggests that this has connections with the mafia.
Read More“Claro” depotism
Three decades ago a large part of public services were provided by the State. This was the case for health, mail and telecommunications. When the service was bad (something that frequently occurred) people protested before government and, sometimes, when there were many protests, it became a politicized issue and was subject of public debate. These protests and debates led to the privatization of these services. Today, after many years of experience with the new private model, things do not seem to have changed substantially. The financial voracity of private interests and a weak state capacity to control them has created a situation similar to the previous one.
Read MoreHistory with sociology
Some yeeks ago I wrote an Op-Ed about how difficult it was to achieve lasting consensus in the country. Then Eduardo Posada Carbó answered by saying that is was false divisive nagging. I answered ,in another Op-Ed, by accusing him of making a simplistic reading of my point of view and he, in turn, answered accusing me more or less of the same.
Read MoreAlberto Rojas and Ciro Angarita
The election of Alberto Rojas as judge of the Constitutional Court made me think about December 1st of 1993. During that day took place the election, in Congress, of the first permanent judges of the Constitutional Court.
Read MoreReal and imaginary walks
Lets suppose that the Inspector General Ordoñez wins next presidential elections (the gods will not allow it) and achieves it through a government plan that promises restoring moral, tradition and family. Lets suppose that, in the development of this program, Ordoñez prohibits the consumption of alcohol. Many things would change: the liquor factories would close and whisky importations would come to an end; parties would take place without alcohol, etc. Ah! and sure, many would violate the norm and, in this way, black markets would thrive.
Read MoreA tedious debate
Eduardo Posada Carbó does not agree with my Op-Ed of some weeks ago regarding the current peace process, in which I talk about the scarcity of consensus and foundational myths in the history of Colombia
Read MoreThe modest paragraph
Many have ignored the fact that a paragraph contained in the Constitution could prevent Uribe from being re-elected for a second time.
Read MoreOperation insistence
Almost every Colombian knows about Operation Jaque. But only a small number knows about the discrete operation that has been going on for 25 years in Colombia: “Operation insistence”.
Read MoreVerdadabierta.com mentions the book “Judges without the state”.
The article titled “Justice’s heroes” published in Verdadabierta.com, quoted Dejusticia’s book “Judges without the state”.
Read MoreThe Disadvantages of an Elite Education
Everybody is familiar with the type of advantages an elite school or university brings along (academic preparation, networking, good jobs, ext.). Still, nobody reverses the question: what are the disadvantages of an elite education?
Read MoreFear
I’ve always thought a good happiness indicator is the absence of fear
Read MoreThe paltriness with the kidnapped.
The kidnapped are nothing else than disposable elements in the opinion bid between the government and the guerilla.
Read MoreDiscrimination against victims of state agents.
Last thursday was an ambiguous day for victims of state agents since they were fully recognized by an international official and, yet, remained in the Government’s misunderstanding.
Read MoreFrom Cairo to Teheran
Sixteen years ago, Samuel Huntington published “The clash of civilizations?”, perhaps the most influential political text of the last two decades.
Read MoreCigarette’s black smoke in Congress?
Tonight we will know what kind of smoke is breathed in the colombian Congress. There may be white smoke for two laws that would save the lives of thousands of active or passive smokers that are destined to die of lung cancer and other diseases. But it may also be black smoke coming out of cigarettes from the tobacco companies, who have mounted a powerful lobby against these laws.
Read MoreThe warlords path
In various occasions, President Hugo Chavez has said that since law can be unfair, the Rule of law shall be replaced by the Social State of law and justice.
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