Why the trains are free

Colombia's President warned people to moderate their language otherwise lives would be lost. Yesterday I went out to take photographs. Around the corner at some kind of political association the rough looking men immediately scattered when I took out my camera. It's all to do with the local council elections and over 20 candidates have been killed.

The voting is tomorrow (Sunday) and bars will be shut, gas isn't allowed to be delivered to prevent superbombs going off and the trains are free. Posters warn that selling your vote isn't an educated thing to do and peak-time TV carries how-to guides about filling in the voting form.

It's difficult for politically apathetic Brits to get their minds around the passion, lawlessness and violence of Latin American politics. This is the world of coups, dictatorships and anarchy. Colombia's main trading partner, Venezuela, is undergoing a Castro-style revolution. Southern neighbours Ecuador and Bolivia are starting to destabilize with their new politicians. And I haven´t the space to write about Peru.

Pray for the powers that be, says Paul. Seems pretty reasonable. We're not that far removed from the corruption and intrigues of ancient Rome.


Photo: If he gets as many votes as posters, he should be okay