One fact that the article failed to mention, is how Mr Uribe has already changed the Constitution, to allow himself a second term.(The Colombian Supreme Court is looking into the legality of that move)
Now we're talking about yet another term!

Although the Economist took it's sweet time to come to the right conclusion- that President Uribe should go, why did they have to spoil the Mood by bringing Chavez into this purely Colombian matter?

Peace, Love & Respect.

Purists will always be able to fault a pragmatic president for overstepping something to make the whole work effectively. Consider the dawdling in the US Senate over withholding certain types of promised aid, not for a fault of Uribe's but for a domestic US camapign pledge to unionized backers.

We keep forgetting that there is another set of domestic politics in Colombia that only Colombians can clean up; there is no room nor justification for letting domestic US politics infringe on the solutions worked out in Colombia, no matter how pure our intent.

In this article, there are many buts: still a dangerous band, albeit under a flawed agreement. Mr Uribe has not accomplished anything. The revival of economic growth, the national self-confidence should have a strong base which is welfare for the Colombian People. In fact, it does exist for a privileged minimun percentage of colombians;the mayority of the colombian people live under the poverty line.

Apart from that, polls do not have a seriuos standard. Media in Colombia have manipulated them.

What Mr Uribe has accomplished is to appropriate of the state´s business such as minerals, oil, health , etc.

Re: Bogotareader:

Beginning with your second sentence I believe you must have been thinking of your neighbor in Venezuela, President-for-Life Chavez.

The first time I went to Colombia in 2002.
I go to Colombia on a yearly basis and can assure that Colombia is now a better and safer place to live in. OK, there are a lot of things to do (implement more democracy, reduce the poverty, eliminate terrorism, etc.), but colombians are working hard to improve their country.
Uribe has part of responsibility in those achievements and also in some flaws.

But I´m with Economist that if Uribe runs for a third term this will be a serious threat for the Colombian democracy.
Top politicians that continue in power are a serious danger for their countries because they bring corruption, nepotism, lack of renovation and new ideas, etc.
And I don´t want this happening for Colombia because I love this country.

Aren´t there more valuable politicians among more than 40 million people? I can´t believe this. I believe that Uribe need to be replaced.
Maybe with a worthy candidate working now in the government.

If he decides to run for the next term, the winner should be a candidate coming from the opposition side.
For Colombia´s sake.

The first time I went to Colombia in 2002.
I go to Colombia on a yearly basis and can assure that Colombia is now a better and safer place to live in. OK, there are a lot of things to do (implement more democracy, reduce the poverty, eliminate terrorism, etc.), but colombians are working hard to improve their country.
Uribe has part of responsibility in those achievements and also in some flaws.

But I´m with Economist that if Uribe runs for a third term this will be a serious threat for the Colombian democracy.
Top politicians that continue in power are a serious danger for their countries because they bring corruption, nepotism, lack of renovation and new ideas, etc.
And I don´t want this happening for Colombia because I love this country.

Aren´t there more valuable politicians among more than 40 million people? I can´t believe this. I believe that Uribe need to be replaced.
Maybe with a worthy candidate working now in the government.

If he decides to run for a third election, the winner should be a candidate coming from the opposition side.
For Colombia´s sake.

Old joke, updated: Three guys in a political prison. What are you in for? I am here because was I was very active in the opposition to Alberto Fujimori. And you? How ironic! I am here because I was a senior member of the Presidential administration of Alberto Fujimori! They turn to the third guy. And how about you? Gentlemen, please let me introduce myself: I am Alberto Fujimori!

There was a very brief allusion in the article to Mr. Uribe's potential concern about being charged by the ICC -- an unlikely prospect, to be sure, given the facts currently at hand. Nonetheless, frequently Latin American politicians – and their adherents – have committed very questionable, and sometimes flagrantly illegal and morally reprehensible, deeds, and they know that the best way to keep such deeds from ever seeing the light of day, and thereby escape the threat of exile and/or prison -- President Fujimori of Peru's fate -- is to hang on, forever, if possible.

In the final analysis, if you are not comfortable having your brother (aka Raul Castro in Cuba) or perhaps your wife (aka Christina Kirchner in Argentina), succeed you, you can always try to re-write the constitution of the country you dominate politically so you can succeed yourself. Aka, the ongoing imbroglio in Honduras, or the previous self-successions of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and Alvaro Uribe in Colombia, countries whose presidents approach most questions from completely opposite ends of the political spectrum, except for that little matter of running for one more, extra-constitutional, term-of-office; and then – why not? – yet another.

It’s anti-democratic, but it’s certainly not confined to the left or the right. It’s a threat to democratic governance across the Americas, it encourages the most reprehensible forms of behavior while in office, and it is not being adequately addressed. Perhaps the best role for the OAS would be to mobilize behind the realization that self-succession due to constitutional amendment should be actively discouraged across the Americas as simply unacceptable.

i think,president uribe,is the best.he has worked very hard to get the safety of all colombians.No offense,but to compare,president uribe with president chavez is irrelevant.thank you

Each country has its own problems and their solution.
The Venezuelan people, chose at the Hugo Chávez´s leftist goverment and the Colombian people, chose the right lider Uribe.
It is not the economist or the devil or the angel,the one called to oppose the people´s decission; it is Venezuela and colombia´s only decision.
Miguelonio - Panamá.

Don't you think that Colombian people are the only ones who decide which President is the best for the nation, and not foreign people who want to interfere in politics of a soveraign country. If the great majority of Colombians wants Uribe as President, I don't understand people living far away and not Colombians, dare to tell us what is good for us. As you know Pierre Elliot Trudeau was re-elected several times (17 consecutive years was in power. Margareth Thacher and Tony Blair how many years in power in your country? Did the democracy was questioned?

I am afraid that I might have read this article very late, but I think it is important to remind all the readers some important facts taht have to be valued when analysing the Colombian situation.
In colombia the presidency is only for 4 years, with no reelection, contrary to many other countries, it seems like a big issue to see a president for four years when that is a normal matter in the rest of the world.

I personally dislike Alvaro Uribe, but bringing up issues as the reelection in an article where clearly the main point is to remark that the country is having the best economic situation in decades just ruins it, it is a shame that some journalist decide to write about issues that they do not know. we have in the UK the labour party for how many years? and prior to that the conservatives, and the same in many developed countries. the econimy of colombia is from good to better and that has the name of Alvaro Uribe written all over it, even if we like it or not, democracy is strong in Colombia, for those that do not know is the oldest in south america.

Please refrain your self from giving opinions if your opinion is partialized by ignorance.

Have a happy new year

I was born in the oldest South American democracy. My mother always voted, my grandpa was a liberal and My grandma was a conservative. I was raised in a placed when your opinion counts and a place that, believe or not, gave everyone I knew the right of being free. That freedom was then stolen by criminal minds fueled by drogadicts and corrupt politicians in the U.S and Europe. Our government fought them and defeat them and our government continues to fight them and continues to defeat them. The people of colombia has recovered many of the freedoms stolen by this criminals and for the first time, we are being told the true about what happened in our country. All of you foreign "analyst" and "brown-nosed" reporters don't have an idea what a "pass" of cocaine in their company party means for the Colombian people, more death more abuses and more suffering. I never understood why the world is asking Colombia to eliminate the drug traffiking but when colombia ask them to eliminate comsuption, everyone turns their heads aways and includes our national amongs those requiring visas to enter their countries. Fueled the violence by doing billions of dollars in drug consumption, discriminate our nationals and now critized our decisions!! Wow.. you got some nerve! Re-election of Mr. Alvaro Uribe is in the hands of the Colombian people and not in the hands of politicians from his party or any other "force" as this article tries to insinuate. The constitution will be reform if it's approved by the Colombian electorate and that's the end of the story. One last thing, comparing President Uribe to the "banana republic" dictator of Chavez is like comparing Winston Churchill with Adolf Hitler. A total disrespect!!

Sr, economist :
Realy your wrote has been inadecuate, you need to know colombia very weel first the all, at the same time to know the peoples of each departament (state) how they think and work. Mr, Doctor Alvaro Uribe Velez is a intelectual attorny and economist of the best universities in U.S.A , england and Colombia , of refined family and very wealthy, so he don't need to work, but him love for Colombia , Dr. Uribe want to end with guerrillas, paramilitares, and of course the narcotrafic, now he has been largest advances,so the president Uribe only need other period more and that's it, he don;t attempt to be in the power, like you say in your magazine, no that is not tru, and either such Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, how you say, this comment is absurd, so please you don;t have autority to interview in colombia political isues, we are the colombians than decide and in this moment about the 76% we like to re-elect President Alvaro Uribe for four years more, so our country will remain in good shape in the entire country. Ok?

This article is right, but I'm afraid president Uribe does not care about what people think of him in future, he only cares about power and he needs to keep it in order to avoid justice. He´s done good things for my country, but the price we've paid has been so high, I'm not too sure it was worth it. People kknow his pass, his family is narcotraficante, and his manners confirm he grow up in that enviroment. He will run , and he will win, and then again, we'll have to wait to face our real problems

"Yet there is no evidence that Mr Uribe is a criminal."

That's right, not yet...

For the time being, the list of suspected criminals only includes ministers, former ministers, senior officials that at one point or another were taking orders directly from him, and of course, almost half of his political allies in congress.

This is a totally wrongheaded view, and frankly surprising for a magazine of this stature. The British empire with its history of "strong" men, built strong government. Who builds strong government, if not strong men?

Yes there are many things that still need work, and 40 plus years of a guerilla insurgency cannot be wiped away in a few years. The reason the Colombian economy is in the sad shape it is, is because of the insurgency. That is why it must be President Uribe's first task to remove it.

I recall only a few years ago I could not travel to Colombia, one of the most beautiful countries in the world. My family that is still there, had to travel by caravan because the roads where too dangerous. Thanks to President Uribe, that has changed. He won't win a Nobel prize. He is of the conservative persuasion, but he will win the vote of most Colombians, to whom he gave back their country.

While I can share concern for the "democratic institutions", Colombia is South Americas's longest standing democracy (since 1821), and we will survive any attempt by any one individual to subvert them.

Over the last 40 years what has been the greatest danger to Colombian Institutions? obviously the Farc and other guerilla forces.

President Uribe will enter history on democratic terms, i.e. by a vote of the citizens of Colombia, not on the advise of the Economist. My vote would go to President Uribe for 4 terms if that is what is necessary to wipe out the guerilla vermin still infesting the jungles, and terrorizing our people.

Go Preside Uribe...One more time!

My math's teacher always said: You can change the world, but you can´t never change the numbers. Therefore, I invite you to check yourself this figures during the Uribe's tenure:

1)Unemployment skyrocketed to 18%, the worst in Latin America.

2)Between January 2002 and December 2009, in Colombia has been killed 104,000 people. Yes, you read it well. 104,000 Colombians killed. But the worst is just 6% of those killings have been resolved. 94% rests in a perfect impunity, Uribe´s courtesy. Most killers are proUribe paramilitaries.

3)Colombian gap between poor and rich is the highest in Latin America. And getting higher.

4)6% of rich Colombians control 72% of the economy and 3/4 of the cultivable land.

5)Illiterate people increased 7%. Colombia was the only country in Lat Am showing such infamous figure

6)During the Uribe´s tenure, almost 4 million people, mostly humble and poor peasants have been displaced in Colombia, from farms and lands, toward the big cities. Whole families have escaped from the despicable violence caused by proUribe bloodthirsty paramilitaries and in lesser level, for the guerrilla, increasing the insecurity in those big cities to record figures.

7)According figures taken by the own Colombian government, 21 millions of Colombians are making less than 2 dollars per day. And 8 millions are declared totally indigents. For a country spending up 13 billion dollars in weapons during 10 years, it´s a cruel paradox (Figures of the BBC in The Economist 3 months ago).

8)Right now, Colombia is one of the Latin American countries with poorer health services in the Americas, with score of public hospitals closing due to lack of funds. Same thing about schools. In 7 years Uribe has no new school buildings.

9)The United States has given to Uribe 7 billion dollars coming from my taxes and yours. Amazingly, Uribe has spent "100%" of that huge amount of money in weapons, bullets, rifles, misils, etc. Do not exist any record showing Uribe making any social activity or development favoring poor or needy people. Only war, war and more war.

10)Now, the worst of the worst. Colombia with Uribe has suffered the highest corruption since her foundation. He has permeated the country with the most repugnant and despicable corruption, affecting every single office or agency in Colombia. Governors, mayors, militaries, businessmen, bankers, big farmers and the top: Politicians loyal to Uribe. It’s not a coincidence that almost 65 proUribe’s congressmen are paying jail time right now accused and condemned by the Supreme Court, for bribing, false misrepresentation, traffic of influences and getting top Contracts paying bribes to high profile government officials,(Racketeering), electoral corruption, narcotraffick, and mainly, because of ties with murderers paramilitaries, mostly dedicated to the cocaine business.

He has been like a deadly illness that it has contaminated to the whole country. The real reason why Uribe doesn’t want to lose the presidency is because if he does, more probably he will be accussed, investigated and condemned for many criminal acts, including massacres, killings for hire; using Colombian Agencies for his personal benefits, (DAS), giving orders to wiretaping members of the oposition, judges, magistrates, ONG members, etc: accepting and supporting the traffic of influence and illicit enrichment of his own children and for the repugnant executions of poor young people, to which the military murdered just to collect a recompense that Uribe had imposed for each dead guerrilla corpse. There are records of more than 2.000 innocent people were murdered by proUribe militaries just to get the recompense. By the way. Do you want to know where is coming from the money for paying those murderers of the Colombian militaries? From your taxes and mines.

I challenge to every single Uribe’s supporter to try to deny every single point that I have written over here. These are facts. No gossips.

The main strategy of Uribe, has been accusing the guerrilla of all the bad things it happens in Colombia, when really the guerrilla is just the effect, not the cause of the huge problems there are in Colombia: Corruption, State crimes, lack of security, top unemployment, crime skyrocketing and the huge gap between rich and poors (the worst in Lat Am) are the main magnet for guerrilla recruitment of dissatisfied people. What would you do if you are making 2 dollars per day, but you see the children of the President buying a private land for 1,000 dollars and then they re-sell the same land to the Government, 3 days later, for 45 millions (dollars)? This is a real history. No bull.

I think president Alvaro Uribe is the man of the moment in the present confrontation with the low class bastard we all know as president Hugo Chávez.Only Uribe with more integtity, better judgnent and common sense was able to keep peace rolling against all the odds. There is no easy task to dialog with an illiterate bully with war toys fron the Soviet Union anxious, ready to try then at any cost and with a single provocation on the civilian population.
Reading your article I will only suggest you to stop smoking or to change your brand.

Not only the economist but many other media institutions for some reason think they have the right to give recommendations on issues that only concern to every country's people, as we, the colombian people, have the right to guide our own destiny.
For 3 generations we have seen the transformation of the guerrillas and how much harm they have done to our country. For many years we dreamt about the day when someone would finally come and make us free of this continous threat. Our democracy, being the strongest in south America, can take the challenge of seing our president for another term. The final goal of annihilating the farc is really close and the most of us believe our future will be brighter without narcoterrorists in our mountains. There is a high price for such an endeavour and our democracy can suffer in the process, but we are willing to risk it all and we are betting on Mr. Uribe one more time.
Please let us fix our own problems and stop getting us out of focus with your sided opinions. I agree with another person here that said that our problems in Colombia are originated in the need of the first world countries for the "infamous colombian product". These countries and their media should look inside their border to control drug consumption.