The Colombian compromise

@wwaycorrigan

[Listen to an audio version of this blog entry here.]

'There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen.'

That famous observation, attributed, rightly or wrongly, to Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov — better known as Lenin to most of us — has been used to describe many situations over the years.

Lame ducks: President Iván Duque & Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez. (Photo from presidencia.gov.co.)

Plus ça change

Some might be tempted to apply it to what's been happening in Colombia of late.

The truth of it is, however, that despite the ongoing protests — linked, it must be remembered, to a movement that started on 27 November 2019, so not quite a matter of just a few weeks — nothing much has changed in the country, the pandemic effects excepted.

Indeed, so far the protesters' main achievements have been to stop things from happening. No to the proposed tax and health reforms, no to the co-hosting of the Copa América.

What's more, calls for police and military reform have been heard from Colombians since before the new constitution of 1991. Like that of the perennial tax-reform debate that only ever really trims around the edges at best, we're still waiting.

While there does appear to be broad agreement that there's something more lasting to the current protests, that those taking to the streets won't go away without concrete commitments to change, in a country that, officially speaking, displays a deep respect for "due process" through the courts, rapid, radical overhauls are most unlikely.

'There is a Colombian tradition of finding a workable solution to an impasse without completely ripping up the script.'

Of course, in a number of respects, this is a good thing. Throwing away the existing rule book when it's not at all clear what would follow could go disastrously wrong. Nonetheless, there are many who say, justifiably, that that existing rule book only really serves the interests of a comfortable minority.

'Hay un camino'

That being said, there is a Colombian tradition of finding a workable solution to an impasse without completely ripping up the script. The Colombian compromise we could call it. (One could argue that the new constitution of 1991 was the wrong solution at the right time, change for change's sake.)

I've experienced this compromise for day-to-day affairs while there are also "grander" historical examples (the Frente Nacional, to name but one). It might require a questionable interpretation of the rules or the turning of a blind eye but the idea is that all parties walk away feeling they've achieved something.

For now, for the current bungling administration headed by President Iván Duque, the hope must be that it can tap into that old Colombian trait. As Venezuela's former presidential candidate Henrique Caprile's campaign slogan went, 'Hay un camino', there is a way (alas, for him, he's still looking for that 'way').

It's both a blessing and a curse for Duque that his term ends in just over a year, August 2022. The blessing, in theory anyway, is that he can be more flexible in ceding to various demands safe in the knowledge that they'll get tied up in Colombia's Byzantine bureaucracy. In that scenario, when he leaves office, he could say: 'Hey, I did try in the end. It's out of my hands now.'

The curse is that it appears the majority of Colombians wish he wasn't president. There is zero trust in him in many quarters.

Furthermore, the unspectacular but largely positive change Colombia has experienced over the last couple of decades has now, understandably, only led to a desire for greater, quicker change amongst its younger citizens.

They know what they want — in a general sense in any case — and they want it now, in a number of weeks, not in a decade or two.

Step forward the Colombian compromise.
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Listen to Wrong Way's Colombia Cast podcast here.

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Remembering Des: Trying to comprehend the incomprehensible

@wwaycorrigan

It has been said that we know more about the intricacies of our vast planet than we do about the human mind.

Tiny as it may be compared to the size of our world, it is very complex in composition. We may know it physically, superficially, but its inner workings remain largely a mystery.

Des relaxes before our interview at Colombia's football federation HQ in Bogotá, January 2020.

Misunderstood

While great advancements have been made in recent decades in dealing with deadly physical diseases, treating psychological problems still relies on, to a large extent, a trial-and-error approach. Generalisations on behaviour can be made and on many occasions are accurate, but the very essence of one's uniqueness emanates from his or her own brain.

We never truly know what another person is thinking, how he or she is feeling. It is, perhaps, medical science's greatest challenge: to find an effective, lasting way to treat those suffering from mental illness.

I used to have quite an unsympathetic view of people who were going through depression. My thinking was, 'Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Snap out of it.'

Time and closer dealings with depressed individuals have seen me change this stance. When one is in such a state of mind, nothing is seen in a positive light. Both the inward and outward filters are at best a dark shade of grey, at worst a bleak, hopeless black.

Nothing that one says or does seems capable of altering this. What's more, the feelings are generally irrational. One can highlight to the sufferer all the reasons why he or she should feel grateful for life but it's usually a pointless exercise. Yes, the darkness can pass, but it's normally just a brief respite.

'While I still see suicide as a horrible act, I've come to understand a little better the complete hopelessness that one feels in order to take that final, dreadful step.'

At most we know it's a chemical imbalance in the mind and with the right mix of medication, some people can learn to cope. Finding that balance is the tricky part, however.

For those who don't get that help, the ultimate solution becomes the only option to escape the constant doom.

Similar to how I used to think about depression, I used to also view very negatively that irreversible "cure" chosen by some sufferers. I saw suicide as an utterly selfish act. The depressed ends his or her suffering but leaves behind loved ones who have to try to come to terms with the fateful decision.

Again, though, my perception has changed with experience. While I still see suicide as a horrible act, I've come to understand a little better the complete hopelessness that one feels in order to take that final, dreadful step.

Demons return

Just over a year ago, I interviewed Des McAleenan, the Irish goalkeeping coach who landed what he described as a dream job with Colombia's men's football team. In that interview, he spoke candidly about the 'demons' that had taken over his mind in the past.

He was, however, in a much happier place in January 2020. There was much to look forward to — World Cup qualifiers against some of the best nations on the planet, a Copa América in front of a home Colombian crowd. Des's present and future looked bright.

Then, along came covid. The World Cup qualifiers and Copa América were postponed. With his job paused, Des left Colombia and returned to Ireland.

Initially, though, everything was fine. He even found, so he told me, more fulfilment in life by training some children in his native Dublin in the Irish summer. Facebook posts showed him enjoying daily runs along the north Dublin coast.

It was what seemed from afar a fairly innocuous ankle injury that plunged him into darkness again. He began to worry about his career. In his early 50s, if he couldn't carry out training properly, would he be let go?

In any case, he was involved with the Colombian set-up for the World Cup qualifiers in October. A straightforward home win over Venezuela and a very credible draw away to Chile did nothing to improve his state of mind.

He was ruled out for the November round of qualifiers after he contracted covid. As Colombia slumped to heavy defeats at home to Uruguay and away to Ecuador, Des was in quarantine in Bogotá's five-star Grand Hyatt Hotel.

We had a telephone call at the time and he told me how it just didn't make sense that he felt so depressed. Financially he was fine and while manager Carlos Queiroz's position was on the line after the damaging losses, Des was rather sanguine about the prospect of losing his job.

'The darkness just got darker. The demons wouldn't go away. To get rid of them, he had to get rid of himself.'

He joked, true as it was, that he hadn't actually lost a game with Colombia. Also, listening to my visa travails, lack of a steady job and general uncertainty, he said I should be the one depressed, not him. Of course, it doesn't work that way.  

Queiroz's tenure — and by extension Des's — was indeed ended shortly afterwards.  'A shit time all round' was how Des put it to me in a WhatsApp message.

Nonetheless, he told me there was a potential coaching job with a club in the US, in Salt Lake City. That prospect made him feel a lot better, so he told me. The ankle, which seemed like a physical manifestation of the mental problems he was battling, was still annoying him, however.

He went back to Ireland again in December.

The last message I received from him was on 30 December. It read: 'Back in Dublin Brendan, it's a fuckin' nightmare. Having a very difficult time coming to terms w[ith] the problem w[ith] my ankle. How are you? Still in Colombia?'

Less than two months later Des took his own life.

I only knew him for just over a year but during that time we had some long and deep conversations. Different as we were, I felt a connection with him.

I don't know what to make of his decision to kill himself. It doesn't make sense.

I tried to offer words of encouragement, tried to make him see the positive side of things. But the darkness just got darker. The demons wouldn't go away. To get rid of them, he had to get rid of himself.

Adiós, Des. Adiós.

*****
For those in Colombia troubled by what's written in this article, Bogotá has the phone line 106, ‘El poder de ser escuchado’, which offers support in times of crisis including cases of sexual violence, suicide and substance abuse. The 24-hour service is also available via WhatsApp on 300 7548933.

The city also operates the Línea Psicoactiva on 01800 0112439 (Mon-Sun from 7.30 am-10.30 pm) Facebook and Skype at Psicoactiva and WhatsApp on 301 2761197.

In Ireland, you can contact the following:

Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org;

Aware 1890 303 302 (depression, anxiety);

Pieta House 01 601 0000 or email mary@pieta.ie (suicide, self-harm).
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Listen to Wrong Way's Colombia Cast podcast here.

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Colombia's not-so-magical realism

Back in the heady days of the Republic of Ireland's "glorious" run at Italia '90 — fair enough, the team reached the last eight but did so without winning a single game in 90 minutes — it practically amounted to treason to question the side's approach or not to be fully supportive of the boys in green.

Relax, la Selección is winning, everything's fine! (Image from fcf.com.co.)

The one pundit who did go against the national zeitgeist, Eamon Dunphy, was temporarily banished from his role with the state broadcaster RTÉ. He dared to criticise the Irish performance after a drab 0-0 draw with Egypt.

He wasn't really wrong with what he said but the country didn’t want to hear such harsh truths in the flood of bonhomie and giddy excitement that a first-ever World Cup appearance swept in.

Don't rock the boat, baby!

This was pre-Celtic Tiger Ireland. Much poorer and, it could be said, more innocent times. The nation badly needed a pick-me-up and Jack Charlton's heroes delivered that (some people have even attributed it to playing an important part in the economic boom that was to follow). Clear-headed, unbiased analysis wasn't wanted.

Nowadays, however, it's pretty much a national pastime to be critical of the Republic of Ireland soccer team. It could even be said that some of it is over the top.

Nonetheless, as a nation matures, its people, in most cases, are better equipped to carry out some introspection, as difficult as it may be.

Looking at Colombia from a self-governing perspective, it is older than the Republic of Ireland. Yet, in many aspects, it hasn't quite mastered the art of self-criticism.

This can be seen clearly enough in the soccer (or football, if you will) world, for the beloved Selección.

Now, I've never really believed in the impartial reporter malarkey, especially when it comes to sports commentary, but you'd like to think that such professionals could at least try to bring a semblance of balance to proceedings. Not here in Colombia.

The lads and lassies commentating and analysing on Colombian games see things solely through yellow-coloured (or blue or red when the side is playing in its alternative strip) glasses. Their heavily biased approach only adds further fuel to the fire of an already highly strung watching public. Win, lose or draw, all sense of realism is lost.

"It was the euphoria that led me to stab you. Que pena!"

Take the opening, and fully merited, Copa América win over Argentina. Yes, the Argies have a number of individuals of truly world-class standard. Yet, the reality is, the collective has been much less than the sum of its parts for a couple of years now.

Their form of late against fellow South American teams, for one, has been patchy to say the least. That should be factored into any proper analysis of Colombia's victory. However, on the whole here, it's not.

This isn't to say that it was a "nothing win" for Colombia, not at all. You can make a case for them to go far. Colombia's performance was as solid as what we've seen thus far. But let's just take it game by game for now, keep things in perspective.

Going backwards, at speed

Of course, a country losing the run of itself over football "success" is harmless really, save for the odd violent incident that happens post-match. ("Oops, it was the euphoria that led me to stab you. ¡Que pena!").

In politics and the general running of the country, on the other hand, overlooking facts, ignoring certain obvious signs that things may not be as you're saying they are, that's a recipe for disaster. 

For more balanced commentators on Colombia, there's a feeling that the country's on the slide (two years ago, in Colombia's comedown?, I touched on some of these challenges).

The right-leaning president, Iván Duque, not quite a year in the post, hasn't done much to steady the ship. On the contrary, for many observers, things are in reverse.

There is a theory that keeping the country on the precipice suits certain powerful interests. One wouldn't want to unlock Colombia's great potential for the masses or those of a different ilk. A jobs-for-the-boys kind of approach. Considering this land's history, you'd have to say there might be something to that.

But hey, as long as La Selección keeps on winning, everything's wonderful, isn’t it?
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Listen to The Colombia Cast podcast here. 

'Look pretty darling, the camera's on you'

I recently had to write an article for another publication looking at a new movement, centred in Argentina and labelled on social media #NiUnaMenos (#NotOneLess), calling for an end to violence against women.

More than just objects ... (Photo from Facebook.)

Many of the protesters involved in this have spoken about how they believe that many men see women as mere objects, nothing more, with this being one of the root causes of male violence towards them. And considering the statistics available on this crime, it would seem that it is a particular problem in Latin America.

There are many facets to it, of course, education and culture being perhaps two of the main areas where changes are needed in order to turn the tide.

Having been a keen observer of the latest Copa América, the build-up to each match, on Colombian TV anyway, has mostly consisted of shots of the prettiest women in the stands, at times in slow motion, while the presenters/commentators chat, unseen, about the upcoming game.

Now, in theory, there's nothing inherently wrong with this; and it's not like the women pictured are up in arms (well in a negative, metaphorical sense that is) about it.

The question it poses is, however, does such behaviour reinforce the idea of 'women as objects'? It shouldn't really, but maybe it does.

Now, it can also be said that there is nothing wrong with admiring the beauty of women, it's natural. What's more, it doesn't take a man behind a TV camera to give us suggestive views of women. 

A quick glance through Facebook pictures of those of the opposite sex and you'll see many do it themselves; the provocative selfie in the bathroom or bedroom mirror is a favourite for many Colombianas in any case. As a man, it can be difficult not to have a second look.

Not one less: South American women take to the streets. (Photo from Facebook.)

There is, though, and you'd like to think this is obvious to most, a difference between admiring the beauty of a person and treating them as an object or sub-human. For some men, however, crossing that divide may not be such an obstacle.

Looking at a lot of men's treatment of women in these parts from a northern European perspective, you certainly notice more, outwardly anyway, male chauvinism at play. But you have to balance that out with, as mentioned above, how some women 'market' themselves here.

The bottom line is, the much sought-after gender equality may be impossible from a natural, genetic standpoint, but that, needless to say, doesn't open the door for macho violence.

For sure, the causes of domestic disputes, one of the main areas where violence against women arises, are rarely black-and-white. But violent aggression seldom solves anything.
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Colombia's Copa?

With the club season, both domestically in Colombia and abroad, put to bed, attention on this side of the world turns to the Copa América.

Chile provides what will be, um, the chilly venue for this year's renewal. The winter weather apart, there are solid reasons for Colombian football followers to feel warm inside ahead of the tournament. Indeed, it could be argued that things have never been better for La Selección.

Falcao: The Colombian captain has been at his best in the national jersey. (Photo: Facebook.)

Last year, they had their best-ever run at a World Cup, unluckily and controversially losing out to hosts Brazil at the quarter-final stage. The painful manner of that defeat aside, the second-half performance together with the previous four games did prove that Colombia can go toe to toe with the global superpowers. This is reflected in the Fifa (don't snigger) world rankings, where the side remains in fourth spot, with third-placed Argentina the only South American side above them.

Plus, with the proven quality players they have at their disposal, José Pékerman's side have the potential to go far. You also have the Radamel Falcao factor, who will be keen to put a disappointing loan spell at Manchester United behind him; there's a belief in some quarters that back in the comfort of the national set-up, El Tigre will be a far more potent animal than what we saw in England.

Even if he's not, his presence around the squad is only beneficial for what is already a confident, tight-knit group. (For the record, he did score the only goal in Colombia's recent friendly win over Costa Rica and looked relatively sharp.)

To keep that confidence high, a good start will be key. Yet the opener, a tussle with Venezuela, is far from straightforward. Remember, Colombia only took one point from six off their neighbours during their last meetings in the South American World Cup 2014 qualifiers. But the fact that Colombia made it to the finals while Venezuela watched from the sidelines should mean that the former is a much stronger proposition this time around.

A mouthwatering 'revenge' clash with Brazil also awaits in the group stages. However, it could be said that Colombia missed the boat 12 months ago to get one over the five-time World Cup winners. It's unlikely Dunga's men will be as fragile this time around.

Is Colombia's 2015 edition good enough to replicate the 2001 heroes? (Photo Facebook.)

Peru completes the group and while nothing can be taken for granted, Colombia should be taking three points from that game.

In any case, the way the draw is, finishing second in the group may not be such a bad thing as the likes of tournament favourites Argentina and perennial winners Uruguay could be avoided until the final, if Colombia were to get that far. On the flip side, a potential semi-final battle with hosts Chile would be no gimme, to say the least. But if you want to be the best you've got to beat the best and all that.

It certainly promises to be an intriguing three weeks of football, with at least five teams that can be considered as genuine contenders to lift the trophy on 4th July.

Whether Colombia can emerge as South America's top dog, we'll have to wait and see. It's time to let the football do the talking.

Forlorn Falcao

You have to admire, in some ways, Colombian patriotism. Among each other, they may bad mouth their country and criticise its many ills, but when it comes to outside 'attacks' they seem pretty good at closing ranks and rallying behind Colombia's cause, whatever that might be.

Falcao: Time to say goodbye to Manchester United? (Photo from Facebook.)

This is especially the case in the sporting arena. In last summer's Fifa World Cup, for example, the nation focused its wrath on the Spanish referee who 'robbed' Colombia's football heroes of what would have been a historic semi-final spot. Not much, however, was said of the rather timid first-half display from a team that up to that point had set the tournament alight.

Of course, Colombia made it to the last eight without the man who had been their talisman in qualifying for the tournament, a certain Señor Radamel Falcao. As we all know, a new star and national, nay international, hero announced himself on the world stage at Brazil 2014, James Rodríguez. But much adored as he is, Falcao is still hugely respected and revered here.

So Colombian pride has been hurt by the way he has been treated at his loan club this season, Manchester United. The Dutchman at the helm at Old Trafford, Louis Van Gaal, is very much the villain in these parts. And if Colombians needed justification for such a view, they got it recently from none other than the great Diego Maradona, who on a visit to Bogotá called Van Gaal 'the devil'. A strong endorsement that. A united Latino front or more a case, perhaps, of the crafty Argentinian playing to the gallery.

But the English club's manager may not be the one in the wrong here, if anyone is at fault at all.

OK, it can be argued with good reason that Falcao hasn't been given sufficient opportunities to prove himself in Manchester. Game time has been limited, even when he has been fit to play.

Diego Maradona: Who ate all the pies? (Photo credit: Amy Farrell.)

Yet, of the chances he did get to show us his undoubted quality, the latest coming in the recent league defeat at Chelsea, he hasn't been that impressive, to say the least. What's more, United have found a system and — more importantly — winning form without him. For a manager who was under the cosh just a few months ago, with the non-deployment of Falcao a regular stick to beat him with, Van Gaal now has solid results to throw back at his critics.

For sure, it appears the relationship between the striker and gaffer isn't great and at times it seemed like Van Gaal wasn't playing the Colombian purely out of stubbornness. Whether that's the case or not, you can't find too much fault with the manager's selection of late (the Chelsea game excepted); and the reality is that Falcao is, at this moment in time anyway, a bit part in the United revival.

The goals he recently netted on international duty show he still has his predatory instincts, while they also added more fuel to Colombian annoyance at how he is being treated in England. Although scoring against Bahrain and Kuwait in friendly fixtures isn’t the greatest yardstick on which to judge a top-class striker.

At this remove, it's unlikely he'll hang around Manchester once this current loan spell expires at the end of the season. The best move for all concerned, you'd have to think.

A trip back to club football on the European continent, after what both he and Colombia will hope to be a successful Copa América, might be just what El Tigre needs to rediscover his mojo.