Editorial: Deep water, deeper pockets and post-conflict Colombia

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Horses in the water
Horses in the water

[dropcap]B[/dropcap]y the time you read this, the New Year’s hangover will have dissipated and we are all “ad portas” of a leap year. If you want to break it down into cold, hard facts, that’s 24 hours more of Mayor Peñalosa in 2016.

A full day of clean streets for Bogotá and extra time not sitting in traffic.

January ushers in some much-needed hope for Bogotá, a city everyone across the country calls home — even though many brag about wanting to be somewhere else. As the economic engine that drives this nation and offers millions of inhabitants a chance to make a living, the capital gets the cold shoulder when compared to other cities such as Barranquilla and Medellín.

Now don’t get me wrong. These other two are vibrant and interesting cities, proving that in the hands of efficient and forward-thinking mayors that they can be at the service of people.

Bogotá for too long has shown the opposite is true: a metropolis at the mercy of political gain. Caught in the grip of left-wing mayors for more than a decade, Bogotá will emerge this year from its troubles.

Now it’s time for all of us to do our part. Instead of taunting the place we call home, why not share some love with the capital this year? Let’s make it one of many resolutions.

Bogotá has much to offer and too often we don’t take full advantage of the effervescent cultural scene around us. It’s a world capital with big bands and concerts headlining every month. There is theatre for every taste and genre, as well as year-round exhibitions.

It’s a question of just getting out there. Finding the time and making it a point to be part of the city.

Food-wise we are also going strong, with interesting restaurants opening their doors. Once again, how often do we make an effort to try the gastronomic offerings of Bogotá? Now we have an extra day on our hands and at the table.

I am not being facetious with the “share the love” proposition. Instead what an opportunity to break away from an expat mindset, to live the city where nothing is too daunting nor language an obstacle for cultural integration.

My January editorial is always a tough one to produce as many of you are not around. It’s the post-holiday haze.

By February, we should all be fully back in working mode, covering a country and those in the news. March ushers in an historic month for Colombia, should the senior negotiators of the guerrilla organization Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrillas (FARC-EP) sign the much-anticipated peace with the government.

We have yet to fully understand — and live — Colombia at peace. It could be much less traumatic than many, especially critics of this process, have been predicting.

Colombia is resilient and its diverse people, connected by challenging terrain, will make the peace happen. I am confident that this year the countryside will embrace the peace, and those who will benefit are those who stayed on the farm.

As the world deals with a plethora of need-to-be-resolved issues, food security is sacred, and Colombia can stand its ground — pardon the pun — when helping farmers get their produce from farm to supermarket.

We are privileged in that we can grow all year round. The challenge is convincing young people to stay local and for the government to offer incentives to those who work the land and not abandon it.

As mentioned in our December editorial, The City Paper will reach another milestone when we print issue 100. After eight full years in the double digits, we are heading towards a big number and an anniversary issue.

It’s going to be a tough year for the number counters, though. The devaluation of the Colombian peso shows no sign of abating. In fact, investors are dumping the peso for new currency brides. I foresee the U.S. dollar trading at $3,500 pesos by March. Discouraging, to say the least.

Our currency woes will be exacerbated by this government’s need to finance a post-conflict. We still don’t know how much our peace will cost, but we’re in it for the long haul and that means — we’ll be taxed for a long time!

Maybe this explains why President Juan Manuel Santos was so thrilled in December to receive news that underwater archaeologists had discovered the location of the bullion-laden galleon San José.

Our post-conflict money may be down there somewhere — deep under the sea. But what will be on everyone’s minds this year is if we’ll need even deeper pockets.

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