Hereditary corruption?

I have not previously known a society where family is so important. Of course family means a lot also in Europe, and more so in south Europe. In some countries families are also important in politics, as have been the Kennedy and Bush families in the US, the Karamanlis in Greece, Frey in Chile, Helveg in Denmark, etc. We might like them or not as politicians, but in general these are rather 'respectable' families.

In Colombia things are sometimes incredibly different, i.e. I find things difficult to understand. One thing that appears strange is that so many elected politicians, among them many members of congress, have been forced to resign. Many of them were condemned to long prison sentences for conspiracy, corruption, murder — and much more. Sentences have typically been 3 to 7 years, in one case 40 years! More than 100 governors, senators, mayors are still under investigation, and plenty of them will be condemned. Fine.

My incredulity grows when I notice that these crooks do not really disappear from politics. They do not even disappear from parliament, but are sought replaced by their sons, cousins, wives, nephews - so that family power can remain untouched both in central politics and in the local society. Some other day soon I shall write a piece on these 'family matters'. For now just a very incomplete list of candidates intending to replace their criminal relatives.

A couple of days ago I wrote about ADN, the party where the constituitive assembly included imprisoned politicians. The party had to close, but its candidates immediately found new home especially in PIN, Partido de Integración Nacional. This is not a new party (it just recently changed it's name), but established and supporting president Uribe. Main leaders are ex-senator Luis Alberto Gil (in prison) and ex-governor Hugo Aguilar (under investigacion for paramilitary collaboration).

Politicians from the traditional parties (liberals, conservatives), journalists and intellectuals sometimes mockingly characterise PIN as the "recycling" or "garbage" party. But I fear that PIN in the elections 14 March 2010 will achieve a large representation in parliament. Here are some of the suspect PIN candidates:

• Doris Vega, wife of ex-senator Luis Alberto Gil, in prison;
• Teresita García, sister of ex-senator Álvaro 'El Gordo' García, in prison; faces up to 60 years;
• Hernando de la Espriella, brother of ex-senator Miguel de la Espriella, sentenced to 3+ years for parapolitics;
• Mauricio Aguilar, son of ex-governor Hugo Aguilar (under investigation);
• Viviana Patricia Blel, niece of ex-senator Vicente Blel, condemned to 7 years in prison;
• Raúl Alberto Vives, brother of ex-representative Luis Eduardo Vives, 7 years;
• Héctor Julio Alfonso, son of mafia queen Enilce López, 'La Gata', brother of ex-mayor Jorge Luis Alfonso López;
• Jairo Hinestroza Sinisterra, cousin of ex-senator Juan Carlos Martínez, in prison for parapolitics.

Today's theme was family. Those PIN candidates who are just common, corrupt politicians are not mentioned (it is boring with long lists).

But beware, PIN is not the only party that accepts candidates with suspect relations. Take the Liberal Party, whose imprisoned ex-senator Juan Manuel López Cabrales is now advisor to his wife and candidate Arleth Casado de Lopez. So, when she is elected - he will again have a voice in the senate. We are in macholand.

In the Conservative Party likewise: ex-senator William Montes (condemned) supports his wife Martha Curi to replace him. She in turn is daughter of proven corrupt ex-mayor of Cartagena. There seems to be no end ...

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BTW: Colombia's Liberal Party is member of the Socialist International, with its nice principles and ethical charter. The party even holds a vice-presidency in the SI.