Former presidential candidate Antanas Mockus that any alliance with the Partido de la U would be “pointless,” given their complicity in bringing Bogota into “disaster” regarding the corruption scandal.
Mockus, the leader of the Green Party, aimed to distance his party from any potential alliance with the Partido de la U, who in his view are “weak” in Bogota, El Espectador reported Thursday.
Mockus believes that it would be an inconvenience were they to back the Green Party in the upcoming elections given their tacit complicity in the Bogota corruption scandal, in the sense that their coalition Bogota government operated with “relatively lax rules.”
He stated that the coalition government, with suspended Mayor Samuel Moreno at its head, played their part in “bringing the city into the disaster in which it is.”
Mockus then reiterated that he will distance himself from the Green Party if mayoral candidate Enrique Peñalosa decides to receive the backing of former President Alvaro Uribe.
“This is my position, it hurts me because I appreciate Enrique, I know many of his virtues and he is a good candidate for the city, but he should distance himself from Uribe,” he said.
Mockus appears to favor a strong, independent candidate without becoming entangled in Uribe-style cross-alliances that were “very problematic,” with almost every decision leading to judicial proceedings, even though he conceded that Uribe “achieved results,” reported Caracol Radio.
“I do not see myself on the same stage as former President Alvaro Uribe … I try to adapt, but I can’t,” Mockus said on Tuesday.
