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Colombian actors back Mockus campaign

By Manuel Rueda, Editorial Director

Thursday, April 15, 2010

A group of well known Colombian actors and actresses has launched a youtube video in support of Presidential candidate Antanas Mockus.

The two minute video was posted on youtube on Tuesday and received more than 70,000 views in less than 24 hours.

The video is beautifully edited and features two dozen famous theater and telenovela actors who describe their reasons for supporting the Green Party candidate in a series of short clips of 8 seconds or less.

The actors said they did the video voluntarily and did not receive any money or assistance from the Green Party while Mockus said he was surprised by the initiative and felt it was a touching gesture of appreciation towards his work.

In the video the actors argue that Mockus is the right man to lead the country because he can convince Colombians to stop taking part in illegal activities like corruption, not paying taxes, and entering illicit businesses.

“All of Colombia´s problems stem from illegal activities,” says actor Diego Cadavid, who played the role of a jailed drug lord in the television series El Cartel de los Sapos.

“And that can only be solved if our behavior changes,” ads theater actor Manuel Jairo Chavez.

Mockus is a former mathematics professor turned Mayor of Bogota and his citizens´ culture campaigns managed to convince most city residents to pay their taxes honestly and on time and to respect traffic laws. 

His supporters say he could also achieve similar results throughout the country and he is expected to increase investment in education and scientific research.

Mockus´s detractors, on the other hand, see him as a candidate who would not be able to tackle Colombia´s security problems adding that a man who is mostly known for citizens' education initiatives will not be able to deal with the FARC guerillas and drug trafficking groups.

But Mockus says he will continue to implement most of President Uribe´s security policies while promoting a culture for peace and increasing social investment in rural parts of the country in order to give youth alternatives different to that of joining armed groups.

Mockus is currently running second in voting intention surveys with about 20% of potential votes.  His support comes mostly from independent voters in urban areas who see him as the most honest of all candidates as he is not linked to any of Colombia´s traditional parties. 

View video: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqn0oL8T-qc&feature=player_embedded