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The New York Times

Mr. Uribe's Choice

The New York Times
Nueva York, 23 de agosto 2008

"Mr. Uribe should make clear - now - that this will be his last term. If he does, he will be remembered as the leader who brought Colombia back from the brink and onto a path toward peace. If he moves to change the constitution so he can stay, he will tarnish his legacy and further weaken the system of checks and balances that are essential to Colombia's democracy". (The New York Times)

"Colombia's president, Álvaro Uribe, should tell his friends that he does not want a third term. Last week, his backers delivered five million signatures to election authorities calling for a referendum to modify the constitution so Mr. Uribe can run yet again. Colombia has already changed its constitution once so Mr. Uribe could be re-elected in 2006.

Go to The Board » Mr. Uribe has made important progress in the war against brutal, left-wing guerrillas and has curbed Colombia's unrelenting violence. His approval ratings topped 90 percent following last month's daring operation to rescue several high-profile hostages. But he has showed too little respect for the institutions of Colombian democracy.

After the Supreme Court started investigating dozens of his Congressional allies for alleged ties to right-wing paramilitaries, he accused the court of being politically motivated. He has now proposed reforms that would remove the investigation of members of Congress from the Supreme Court's jurisdiction.

The plan is unlikely to meet much resistance. Parties allied with Mr. Uribe have a large majority in Congress, and about a fifth of the Congress's members are under investigation or have been arrested in these cases.

Colombia's neighborhood has too many authoritarian-minded leaders. Venezuela's president, Hugo Chávez, leveraged his enormous popularity to take control of virtually every aspect of his country's political and economic life. Venezuela's voters wisely blocked his plans for indefinite re-election. Presidents Evo Morales of Bolivia and Rafael Correa of Ecuador are also trying to amend their constitutions so they can run again.

The region needs democracy, underpinned by strong institutions. It does not need more strongmen - however popular they may be or indispensable they may consider themselves. Mr. Uribe should make clear - now - that this will be his last term. If he does, he will be remembered as the leader who brought Colombia back from the brink and onto a path toward peace. If he moves to change the constitution so he can stay, he will tarnish his legacy and further weaken the system of checks and balances that are essential to Colombia's democracy".

Editorial publicado en The New York Times (Estados Unidos)

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