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Tag Archives: elections
Colombia Elections – Alliances in Numbers
A recent poll in Colombia released on June 3 says Juan Manuel Santos would win 61.6 percent of a vote, whereas Antanas Mockus would win just 29. 8 percent.
The results of the first round of elections on May 30 proved that polls are often unreliable. Precise numbers aside, the June 3 poll suggests that Santos [...]
Colombia Post-Election Analysis – From the Top
I was extremely lucky to be in Bogota last week, meeting with bunch of different people and talking about what have been some of the most unique and exciting elections in Latin America.
I could feel the excitement from my desk in Washington. The intensity was exponentially multiplied on the steps of Plaza Bolivar. Debates, campaign [...]
Posted in Colombia Also tagged Alvaro Uribe, Antanas Mockus, German Vargas Lleras, Juan Manuel Santos, Partido de la U, Partido Verde, Polls Leave a comment
Scare Tactics in Colombian Presidential Elections
Soft on Terrorism.
The well-worn phrase is one that the US public has grown accustomed to. Like nationalism, it is a tactic that political campaigners use in attempts to disparage one candidate while strengthening the other.
During the 2008 presidential campaign in the United States, Republican candidate John McCain accused Democratic candidate Barack Obama of being soft [...]
Posted in Colombia, United States Also tagged Alvaro Uribe, Andres Felipe Arias, Antanas Mockus, Campaign Tactics, FARC, Juan Manuel Santos Leave a comment
How Will Colombians Vote This Sunday?
In the Americas Quarterly blog I explain that most Colombians won’t vote this Sunday.
Of those who will vote, about a tenth of them will mistakenly submit invalid ballots.
And many of those presenting valid ballots will will unknowingly support candidates other than their own.
You can read the entire post at the Americas Quarterly blog.
How To Vote in Colombia
Voting in Colombia can be confusing, so I have created a 5-minute video that explains in Spanish in simple terms how to vote this March. Please share with Colombians you may know.
Why Not Being Disliked is as Powerful as Being Liked
I recently wrote an article for the Americas Quarterly blog in which I argued that in Colombia’s second round of elections for the presidency not being disliked may be even more of a deciding factor than being liked by voters.
Campaign Season in Colombia
Colombian President Álvaro Uribe and his allies were already taking candidate-like precautions before [...]
Posted in Colombia Also tagged Alvaro Uribe, Americas Quarterly, Andres Felipe Arias, Gustavo Petro, Juan Manuel Santos, Noemi Sanin, Rafael Pardo, Sergio Fajardo Leave a comment
Disheartening Aspects of Colombia’s Congressional Elections
Some things may be comical when you see them in movies, yet somewhat worrying when they are part of the democracy you count on.
Such is the case with María Fernanda Valencia, Candidate for the Partido de la U, who made it to the front cover of the Colombian magazine Soho (a classier version of the [...]
Posted in Colombia Also tagged Alvaro Uribe, Aura Cristina Geithner, Maria Fernanda Valencia, Nicolas Uribe, Santiago Morales Leave a comment
Election Season in Colombia
The Constitutional Court’s ruling last night blocking the possibility of President Uribe’s reelection lifted a weight off the country’s shoulders. Even Uribe, who found out about the Court’s decision through his Blackberry at a a press conference about health reform in Barranquilla, reacted with a nervous smile.
Many Colombians, who heard the news over television and radio waves [...]
Posted in Colombia Also tagged Alvaro Uribe, Andres Felipe Arias, German Vargas Lleras, Gustavo Petro, Juan Manuel Santos, Noemi Sanin, Rafael Pardo, Sergio Fajardo Leave a comment
Investigative Journalism in Colombia
Many of our readers are likely already aware of last week’s announcement of the end of Cambio, perhaps Colombia’s most important source for investigative journalism. While the Casa Editorial El Tiempo, which owns Cambio, claims that the decision to turn this weekly investigative magazine into a monthly magazine on tourism and travel reflects market trends, the magazine’s [...]
Cristina Will Run (and Probably Win)