Empty promises

As I was reading from the Global Studies book, I constantly found myself smiling and nodding as I realized I felt identified with many of the descriptions it provided of Latin society. However, one of the statements that struck me the most was not one that made me smile: "Ideology has never been a decisive factor in the historical and social reality of Latin America. But charisma and the ability to lead are crucial ingredients. José Velasco Ibarra, five times the president of Ecuador in the twentieth century, once boasted: 'Give me a balcony and I will be president!' He saw his personality, not his ideology, as the key to power." Being American or living in the U.S., this might seem as a pretty crazy, even funny, way to handle politics. But, growing up in Ecuador, this is what I lived every time presidential campaigns started.
Sadly, I must admit that in my country ignorance and lack of interest in political affairs prevail. Most people, especially those who live in rural areas, aren't worried about whether the candidate will try to pay the (huge) foreign debt, or whether he (we have yet to have a female candidate for the presidency) plans on building a new petroleum refinery in order to export less raw petroleum and import less petroleum-derived products. Suffrage is mandatory in Ecuador and seen by many as a burden rather than a privilege. Most people only listen to the candidates to see who will give them the best and most numerous gifts during their campaign and to see who makes the most promises. Often these are great promises backed up by nothing more than the candidate’s words. There are no plans, or at least no plausible plans. Candidates take advantage of people’s trust and hope, which never die no matter how many times they get let down. Unfortunately, in Ecuador, and I believe it is the case of many Latin American countries, we have fallen into a routine of constant offerings and disappointments.

Comic strip by Quino.