Just as every Bogotano knows that in their city after midday like clockwork, the skies will grey over and bruise before yielding to a tremendous downpour, no-one can be sure who will be voted in as the city’s next mayor.
Very possibly the new mayor could be any candidate from Gustavo Petro, Enrique Penalosa and Gina Parody leading the Colombian press to make a play on words to call the 2011 municipal elections a “Voto Finish”.
Over the past few weeks, according to the Ipsos-Napoleón Franco polls, it has been a two horse race between Petro (22%) and Penalosa (19%) and all the while these candidates have been dominating the headlines perhaps allowing Parody (17%) to creep up behind them and put herself into contention.
Who are the Candidates for Bogota’s Mayor?
Gustavo Petro
A former M-19 guerrilla who later became the Polo Democratico nominee for the 2010 presidential elections (he came in a distant fourth), Gustavo Petro is now representing the Progresista Party and be looking to pull in a large haul of left of centre votes with his policies on urban regeneration, the environment and his outspoken criticism of the FARC.
Enrique Penalosa
A former mayor of Bogota from 1998-2001 and runner up to Samuel Moreno in 2007, Penalosa’s reputation as an urbanist puts the Green Party nominee firmly in the running. His tenure as mayor may come back to damage his chances although he is banking heavily on his successes in creating the Transmilenio bus system, city parks and cycle lanes.
Gina Parody
Hailing from a distinctly Uribista (relating to and allied with the policies of the former president Alvaro Uribe) background, Parody has surprised many with her teaming up with former mayor and divisive figure Antanas Mockus. Running as an independent, she has Bogotanos curious and questioning her allegiances but is playing her political card as representing the “Third Way” alternative to two well-known political entities.
What Kind of Bogota will the new Mayor receive?
In short, after so many years of progress and growth, Bogota has slid backwards largely due to the tenure of former mayor Samuel Moreno. Moreno has a great deal to answer for and he is currently imprisoned before the end of his term awaiting the outcome of charges of corruption relating to city contracts which have left Bogota in disorder.
The people of Bogota have expressed their concerns for the city putting law, order and security as the most critical issues, followed by corruption, in particular related to all of the unfinished works that have left Bogota at a standstill, and then finally unemployment.
With this hefty list of concerns afflicting Bogota in the eyes of her citizens, come October 30, it is safe to say that any one of the three frontrunner, “the three Ps” may well be taking up residence after a “Voto Finish” as mayor on January 1 2012.
Richard McColl - I am a freelance writer from deepest darkest London but for the past 10 years or so I have been maintaining my extended "writing break" in ...
