8 days in the Bog

[Cap'n Jib]

Not so good vibrations-

First, there is a general sense of uneasiness and weariness. Over coffee with friends of friends, not only did I get the impression but was told in no uncertain terms that the country is tired…very tired of almost 60 years of continuous war. However, not tired enough to make peace. Nor will ‘outsiders’ allow the country to make peace even if they wanted to.

April 9, 1948 was a long time ago. It is considered by many as “the darkest day in the history of Colombia”. It was the day Jorge Eliecer Gaitain was murdered. Often referred to as “El hobre que fue un pueblo”. His politics came to be known as “Gaitanismo”.

“The riot that followed was called the Bogotazo. The bloodshed and destruction caused during the Bogotazo was recorded in modern history as the greatest riot in the Western Hemisphere.” - Bert Ruiz “The Colombian Civil War”

Second, as a result of lawlessness, political expediency and neglect, the country MAY be a tinder box for another “Bogotazo”. I do not make this statement lightly. The slums of South Bogota, are reported to have between 5,000 and 100,000 supporters of ‘left’ leaning organizations. The largest of which are the FARC and the ELN. It would be a mistake to put too much faith in labels such as ‘left’ and ‘right’ in Colombian politics. When a family has experienced systemic abused, torture or murdered, they flee to a larger city for protection, no matter which label caused the problem .

The UN states that since 1996 over two million families have been forced to move. Colombia is third in this category behind Kosovo and Chad. Amnesty International maintains that over two-thirds of the families fled due to ‘right wing paramilitaries’. It is difficult to imagine that these individuals will ‘support’ any government that does not recognize and protect their rights. When the ‘right’ drives them off their land and punishes them for perceived wrongs, the left is the only other logical alternative. These people will naturally lean to the ‘left’ who promise them, if not a better, then a different life than they are currently subjected to.


The Bush Visit

One could feel the difference in Bogota as early as the first of March. There are more military check points and a greater ‘general’ presence. Some 7,000 additional troops are now in Bogota in anticipation of problems during the Bush visit on Sunday, March 11th. There have already been a couple of student demonstrations, which were quelled in the usual efficient and effective manner.

It has become standard fair for US Presidents to travel abroad during their last two years in office. However, should President Bush spend most of his time discussing drugs (specifically in Colombia) on his Latin American visit, this will not play well.


“By 2006, the United States had invested $4 billion into Plan Colombia, the joint U.S.-Colombia coca antinarcotics plan begun in 2000. While officials say the program has eradicated more than a million acres of coca plants, Colombian drug traffickers are still managing to supply 90% of the cocaine used in the U.S. and 50% of the heroin—the same percentages supplied five years ago, when the program began. In 2006, a U.S. government survey acknowledged that coca production in the country had in fact increased by 26%, and that aerial spraying of the illegal crops—the primary strategy of Plan Colombia—was failing.” - Fact Monster

The sense I get is that Colombians (and other Latin American countries?) are looking to the US for real leadership and a change in policy toward Latin America. Let’s hope that things play out better than the standard photo op.

[NunoEFSilva]

I'm glad people in this board is familiar with social conditions in South America. Things are not so simple as Politicians would us believe at home (Europe is just the same, guys). The set of circumstances that led Venezuela into the arms of Dear Hugo (or even much more in the past, Cuba to its revolution) were not just internal - and that's far from the only case.

Since the Monroe Doctrine (arguably the greatest act of American assertiveness in History) and its peak of implementation by President Theodore Roosevelt, his [Roosevelt] Corollary [to the Monroe Doctrine] (that the United States should intervene in LAm affairs when necessary) was abused to the point of Nation Disassembling (as opposed to Nation Building).

Lately, with so many resources committed elsewhere, the U.S. has neglected its leadership in the region.

The leftist governments emerging now (and not only in Venezuela) are the direct consequence of leaving those (small) countries (with no tradition of social checks and balances, and a bit like old colonies without the colonizer to enforce order) unattended...

Nuno

[Cap'n Jib]

My take on Latin America is if the US wants to be paternalistic towards LA, Latin Americans will ‘probably’ go along with it. HOWEVER, when they want ‘papa’ for something….’papa’ had better be there for THEM. In the past, the US as tried to convince them to ‘grow on the own’ and when we don’t like the direction they are headed in, we react badly at best and violently at worst.

For example, the US has sent troops into Panama on 15 separate ocasions for one reason or another (we ALWAYS have a reason). With respect to Manuel (the swell) Noriega, the Panamians thought he was a US problem to deal with. For some quaint reason, they thought because he, Noriega, was a paid CIA agent, a DEA snitch and had many who opposed him killed, they just naturally ASSUMED that he was acting on instructions of the US. [Whenever Noriega left Panama, on vacation or ‘business’, it was known that someone important would disappear or be killed].

Although George Bush, the First, has repeatedly denied it, he met with Noriega twice while VP for Ronald Regan to discuss Iran-Contra transactions (freedom of information stuff). Ollie North was Noriega’ cut out man (plausible deniability anyone) for the drug money transfer. This was almost common knowledge for anyone in Panama at the time and the Panamians could not understand why the US did not act sooner to get rid of THEIR man Noriega.

The above is an example using Panama; however there are examples for every all Latin American countries.

The current President has asked Congress for 3.9 Billion for the next phase of Plan Colombia. Seeing as how the first phase was so successful…why not. Interestingly enough most of the money never really leaves the US. It is used for the purchase of helicopters, off set our cost of training Colombian Military, chemical spray, and contracts for private advisors of all sorts. Is Uriibe the Noriega of Colombia?

There is a difference between bashing the good old US of A and accepting the fact that the US method of ‘working’ with Latin America has not changed in 200 years. Our slogans may change but who benefits, both in Latin America and the US, from our efforts do not.

So where does that leave Colombia?

The world economy has experienced unparallel growth as a result of the US Fed policy of ‘easy money’. Colombia has had its’ share of this benefit and also that of ‘almost laundered’ drug money. What happens when the economic tap is reduced?

“Since the mid 1990’s perhaps no country in Latin America has had as great an unemployment problem as Colombia. Indeed, during the second half of the 1990s, the Colombian unemployment rate has been rising consistently reaching an unprecedented level of more than 20 % in the year 2000, higher than in any other Latin American economy.” - Banco de la Republica (Central Bank of Colombia) [with the usual disclaimers]

Note the unemployment figure is a bit different from the Colombian government figure of 8-10%. There has been little if any attitudinal change to the plight of the poor. The IMF and World Banks’ [primarily US controlled institutions] ‘solution’ of trimming social programs and reducing government spending is a recipe for revolution. It has been reported that 14% of the families of South Bogota ‘live’ on $136 (US) or less a month. This is less money than any country of Latin Americans poor live on. Let’s see….14% of 4 million people in South Bogota…..wow that’s a lot of people. What happens with the unemployment figure goes to 30 or 40% in Colombia?

The US has a long history of combating unions in Latin America because they are ‘left’ leaning (any guess why?). Our claim that we want democratic institutions has not been validated by our actions. Colombia, WITHOUT strong support of human rights, a functional middle class and ability to organize labor, in my opinion, CANNOT survive. The DEA has stated that if Colombia fails or splits into three separate countries, five neighboring countries may very well follow.

The reason for these comments is to provide background of the type of environment our girlfriends and /or spouses have developed in. They may or may not be able to express the above, but my guess is they somehow ‘feel’ it. This has to affect their current decisions and values and probably future ones.

I will get on with the actual trip report in the next post. What I've put here should provide some context to what follows.

[Clay]

"The reason for these comments is to provide background of the type of environment our girlfriends and /or spouses have developed in. They may or may not be able to express the above, but my guess is they somehow ‘feel’ it. This has to affect their current decisions and values and probably future ones."



There is an old phrase;

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink

[HonkyTonk]

Jib, in your quote that Clay referred to above is what dismays me most in a gringo seeking a foreign latina wife. Most don't give a rat's ass where she's coming from other than the country she calls home. It's so much more than that. They see her as this unspoiled little flower just waiting to be rescued from her life down under never even thinking, or caring, what makes her tick. It's pitiful to say the least.

It took me years to even somewhat understand the mindset of the typical foreign latina. I sure know more than I did back in '98 when latinas became my women of choice, but I'm wise enough to understand that even after all these years, I havn't even scratched the surface.

Your statement that most of the $ spent south, under Plan Colombia, stays in the US is correct to a point. Many millions are unacountable for that was sent there and stolen by unscrupulous army personel etc ad nausium. You can't "give" these countries $ and expect it to go to good use.

While unions leave a bad taste in my mouth up here, it's the only hope of a better life for the people of these either "rich or poor" countries. In the olden days up here, unions here made for a better life. I see these foreign southern countries struggling with the same things our country did during the Industrial Revolution; just without the guerrillas owning more than 1/2 the countryside.

I believe down there that union leaders are much more at risk than a journalist who tells it like it is. I wouldn't want either job, or mayor of some small municipality for that matter.

Can't wait to see what follows in your reports.

Am I the only one who wears out a Webster's dictionary trying to get spelling right? Being baffled is nothing new to Tonk...

[Clay]

you guys have no idea


http://www.rsf.org/print.php3?id_article=6224

[Cap'n Jib]

The murder of Todd Smith in Peru in 1989 is perhaps one of the most interesting. Because of his driving personality and trying to 'earn' his spurs as a 'trouble spot' journalist may have made him stand out. The fact that his killers 'thought' he was a DEA agent, IMO is one of the main points.

In Colombia, Sure Shot, the leader of the FARC, still thinks that ALL US citizens work for the CIA, DEA and other initial groups. He does NOT make exceptions. When Terry Freitas, Ingrid Washinawatok and Lahe'ena'e Gay were taken across the Arauca River from Colombia into Venezuela and killed by the FARC on March 4, 1999. Radio intercepts identified as German Briceno, commander of FARC forces in the Arauca province recorded him as saying "Let the ***** die. She's nothing to us." The victims were interested in the rights of the U'wa indigenous people. One of the women was a member of a Hawaiian Human Rights group and the other was a representative of a Native American Human Rights group.

One of the NGO people I met with states that everyone in their office believes that Colombia is more dangerous NOW than it was even 10 years ago. The big difference is the numbers of occurrences are better managed…like not reported. One of the UN human rights organizations believes that only one in ten kidnappings is reported and the one reported may or may not be included in government figures. When I asked how that could be, I was told that IF you reported a kidnapping, you could be advertising your family as a proven ‘kidnap commodity’ on the market. This can make your family a target for other groups to go after family members. Some individuals have been kidnapped three times….the family paid the ransom.

As far as Gringos go, those of us who DO NOT report in the US Consulate when visiting Colombia, who would report us missing? If a relative from the US were to report us missing in Colombia, our entry into the country is only a ‘delete key stroke’ away on a DAS keyboard. Mistakes happen! How could this happen? Let’s see now...one ‘horny gringo’ vs. 3.9 Billion in US aid.

Tonk’s correct about the some of the money ‘disappearing’ into sticky hands in Colombia. A reading of any of Joseph Steglitzs’ books, a former Vice-President of the World Bank, states that 10% of what every the ‘proposed ‘aid is ear marked for disappearing into interested pockets. This is the standard ‘tariff ‘charged for the US to help anyone in the world. Most of the time the money is just given out right to someone in the countries’ hierarchy, for appropriate redistribution. The cost of doing business!

[Clay]

http://www.sipiapa.com/default.cfm

[Cap'n Jib]

She who lives in glasses houses….

We had planned to go to Costa Rica for three days to renew our ninety day tourist visa for Panama. Three days before I felt that something was wrong and decided to confirm things with the Immigrations Office and found out that S. (and her daughter) were Colombian. Ok, so I already knew that but what I (and my second set of attorneys) didn’t know was Colombians could not go from Panama to Costa Rica without returning to “GO”…er…Colombia. So we decided to return to Colombia.

S. decides not to tell her family and we would surprise them. We got into Colombia and were standing below her sisters’ Bogota apartment windows around 11 PM. She bends down and picks up a small pebble and throws it at a window. No response. She throws a bigger pebble at the window. No response. She says “Get me a bigger rock!” and as I bend over I am ‘mooning” the apartment window, as her mother and sister finally look out. This story was told many times at my expense during our visit.

Regressing a bit the taxi driver from the airport was a woman and waited, on her own, at the apartment until either someone responded or we were arrested. This is the second woman taxi driver we have taken and they are our number 1 and 2 as far as quality goes. They anticipated the traffic without slamming on the breaks….not even once.

When I finally got to bed, I could not get to sleep right away so I picked up a bit of light reading “International Verification Mission on the Humanitarian and Human Rights Situation of Indigenous Peoples in Colombia”, just released in February and lying beside the bed. Spent the night reading it and questions kept banging around in my brain. “Just how vulnerable is Colombia with respect to severe social unrest?” “What will be the fallout if the unrest occurs?” How will it affect S., her family and our relationship’? “Can I do anything about it?” (Therefore the subject of my first few posts in this trip report) Finally managed to doze off just before sun up.

Getting the Bird

Woke up to a parrot scolding other birds outside the window. Standard words and phrases until “se ocupa”. Every morning…for eight days…without fail!

more….

[Cap'n Jib]

Which way?...Park Way!

The Park-way district of Bogota is especially interesting for me. It is ‘old world’ European with predominately Swiss, German and Italian influences. Weekends and holidays the area is busy with families and very good looking women walking and talking. A heads up guys!

This is also one of the ‘beat’ areas of Bogota. Painters, singers, dancers and what have you just ‘hang’ here. We can see two artists’ lofts from our apartment window. One of the artists does full size six foot paintings and these are absolutely remarkable. Coffee houses abound and there is no problem with ‘nursing’ a cup of coffee for a couple of hours.

For something a bit different in dinner fare try the “Restaurante Chalet Suizo” at Avenida 22 No 39A-48 Park-Way Soledad. We found the food excellent and VERY reasonable. Piano music after 8 PM.


OK…Who is Responsible for Teaching Her to Read?

A good part of two days was spent looking for technical manuals in chemistry and microbiology. She is ‘doing research’ again. I can’t fault her too much in this area as I have an ‘addiction‘ when it comes to this type of thing myself. Oh well!

A very interesting place was Centro Libro in Bog Central. Mostly college professional types buying and selling text books. The young gals (who work in the book stalls) are well read and easily approachable. If you are interested in the mature and educated, may I suggest Saturdays as well as 3 to 4 PM most afternoons. These are the female college instructor types. If I wasn’t in ‘tow’, this is where I WOULD GO!

She found some of the technical stuff she was looking for and picked up “Umberto Ecos” El Nombre de la Rosa” for ‘light’ reading. For those unfamiliar with Ecos’ work, it was once said only three people have every understood his writing, two are in asylums and the third committed suicide. This novel was actually made into a movie starting Shaun Connery. The producers were able to sell it to Hollywood by saying it was a murder mystery and Connery agreed to act in it. They DID NOT mention it was written by Eco.

Ok so I HAD to buy:

“Gaitan – Vida Muere Y Permanente Presencia” by J.A. Osorio Lizarazo

“Guerra Civil Y Politicas de Desarrollo – Como Escapar de la Trampa del Conflicto” A World Bank Policy Research Report

“Armonizacion del la Actividad Industrial con el Medio Ambiente – Nuevas Funciones de la Comunidad, el Mercado Y el Gobierno” A World Bank Policy Research Report

“Vices de Los Pobres de Colombia – Fortaleciendo Formas de Ganarse la Vida, las Familias Y Las Comunidades” by Jairo A. Arboleda, Patti L. Petesch, and James Blackburn.

“Desarrollo Rural en America Latina Y el Caribe” Maria Beatriz de A. David, Compiladora

La Desigualdad en America Latina – Rompiendo con la Historia? by Francisco H.G. Ferreira and Michael Walton

“Colombia Fundamentos Economicos de la Paz” by Marcelo M. Guigale



Sunday on La Avenida Septima

Went to a Flea Market on Septima. There was more US made stuff of antique quality than I’ve seen anywhere. Gramophones, 78 rpm records and what not.

Oh….did I mention women. The whole of Avenida Septima is worth a stroll on Sunday. If you can’t find her here….she doesn’t exist!


Monday, Monday…can’t trust that day…

Monday found us in another area of Bog Central. This was called the ‘Centro Mayoristas’ area. This is all the ‘knock-off’ stuff with respect to clothing apparel. jewelry and the like. If you want to shower you gal with goodies and still have plane fare back to the states this is where to go. The higher up you go in some buildings the more savings. Mens’ high quality shirts for $5. And they will negotiate price for bulk or near bulk purchases.

A word of warning here. This is a tough neighborhood. The police go in threes. It is heavily covered by the police so you would think that this is a ‘safe’ area…IT IS NOT! More arrests are made in this area for petty and not so petty crimes. Please practice safe sex…I mean….safe shopping.

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