Among the arguments, the engineer exposes some of his positions regarding current issues such as fracking, possible dialogues with the ELN, social protest and consumption of marijuana
Rodolfo Hernández delivers more than one million eight hundred thousand signatures to formalize his candidacy for the presidency of Colombia in 2022. (Colprensa – Sergio Acero)
Given the criticism that Rodolfo Hernández, presidential candidate of the Anti-Corruption Governors League, has received, after right-wing sectors assured that they will vote for him, the politician has been related to Uribismo. To placate these accusations, the engineer from Santander published a list of 20 reasons that would account for why he is not part of the sympathetic current of former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez.
“Don’t eat stories . Here I leave 20 differences that I have with Uribismo”, Hernández wrote on Twitter.
Prior to this statement, the engineer revealed that he spoke with Federico Gutiérrez after he expressed his support for the second round. According to Hernández, his gesture was an act of courtesy, but that he does not commit him in any way. He believes that the right “wants to vote against Petro and they vote in favor” of him, and given this his position is that he can only receive the votes and that does not imply that his speech will change.< /p>
Hernández foists the comments of presumed alliances with Uribismo on Gustavo Petro’s voters. According to him, now that he is closer to reaching the Casa de Nariño, the militants of the Historical Pact have created warehouses to make accusations against him and thus dissuade people from voting for him.
For this, the engineer published his list of reasons, among which he highlights that he has differences with Uribismo, and in general the right, on current issues such as fracking, peace talks, use of glyphosate, relations with Venezuela, use of marijuana and abortion.
Despite the fact that in the past his position on glyphosate and fracking was confusing, but pointed more to his approval, now Hernández says he is against of these practices. Likewise, he indicates that he will approve the use of medicinal and recreational marijuana.
On the other hand, he indicates that he, “contrary to the Duque Government”, I do respect social protest. In this sense, he referred to the Mobile Riot Squad (Esmad) and assured that this “will not be used”; however, he did not specify whether it will reform or dismantle.
Within his arguments, the points that coincide with the positions exposed before May 29, are the beginning of dialogues with the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Venezuela.
These are the reasons why, according to Hernández, he is not part of Uribism:
1. In my government I am going to reactivate the countryside, leaving behind the neoliberal policies and the violence that left us behind, put an end to food self-sufficiency and forced people to move.
2. I’m going toreduce the size of the State,to end corruption and replace with efficient and non-corrupt officials those who have been placed in previous governments and who are marked by incapacity and inefficiency.
3. I will reduce corruption in hiring processes, assigning them, mainly, according to a meritocratic process.
4. My government, like my campaign, is going to be austere. Nothing to continue wasting the money of Colombians as previous governments have been doing.
5. I have always said that the tax reformof Carrasquilla, promoted by the government of Iván Duque, was an attempt to put a VAT on hunger, something completely unacceptable.
6. One of my government’s goals is to implement the peace agreement and negotiate with the ELN. No one else should experience the pain of war.
7 . Contrary to what Duque did in his government, I am going to re-establish diplomatic relations with Venezuela.
8. In my government there will be a complete support for sexual and gender diversity, including same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples.
9. After evaluating the information available, my position is against fracking, contrary to that of the Uribe government of Iván Duque.
10. Likewise, after speaking with experts on the subject, my position is against the use of glyphosate, due to the consequences it has on health and the environment.
11. I amin favor of the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana. I’ve said it and I’ll say it again: the most dangerous thing about drugs is prohibition.
12. In my government I am going to lower VAT from 19% to 10% and I am going to transform it into a “consumption tax”, in order to revive the productive sector.
13. In my government I am going to eliminate the 4×1000,a measure that should be temporary and has been impoverishing Colombians for more than 20 years, without showing any results.
14. One of my proposals is to unify more than 20 subsidies aimed at the poorest and unite them in a “Basic Income” that reaches families directly, eliminating all those processes and bureaucracies that lend themselves to corruption and clientelism.
15. I said it at the time and I maintain it, I am against any modification of the guarantee law such as the one promoted by the Duque government.
16. In my government, support for abortion will be upheld within the stipulated times, the one who has the right to decide whether to abort or not is the woman.
17 . Contrary to the government of Iván Duque, I respect the right to social protest. I went out to march in previous years and I will do it when an injustice indicates that the best way to protest is to take to the streets.
18. In my government, the money that is saved from all the unnecessary expenses that previous governments have incurred to pay the ICETEX debt of the boys will be taken out. No one should put their future in debt in order to progress.
19. In my government, ESMAD will not be used as a brutal element of shock against popular indignation or the people’s right to protest.
20. Just like my campaign, my government will be independent, I don’t owe anything to anyone, don’t eat anything.