Congratulations to Uribe and Colombia

So it looks like Uribe won again in the Colombian presidential elections yesterday. Congratulations to him and to Colombia. I know many Colombians and I have yet to meet one who hasn’t talked with glowing words about Uribe.

In Europe there is wide spread belief that Colombia is not a democracy. Their biggest problem was always one of safety at the ballot boxes, but this is now much better thanks to Uribe.

Colombia is one of the most open countries economically speaking in Latin America. They have open airspace and a very liberal telecommunications market. The Colombian people are also probably the most entrepreneurial in a region filled with entrepreneurs. If only FARC would demobilize the country would no doubt be one of the most prosperous in Latin America.

Besides FARC the biggest problem I can see facing Colombia is emigration. Will all the Colombians in the US, Spain, Panama and elsewhere return when FARC is gone? I don’t know.

Uribe is known as an authoritarian. As a libertarian I am normally against strong government and it does scare me when leaders use terrorism as an excuse to break constitutional rights. I mean look at the opportunity Shining Path presented to Fujimori in Peru. Luckily until now it seems like Uribe is one of those few leaders with a real cause. I heard his Vice President quoted on TVE last night as saying:

Uribe is not Authoritarian, he is an Authority and there is a difference.

Interestingly put. But without a doubt Uribe is what Colombia needs at this moment.