Colombia

     Leaders of underdeveloped countries have the expensive habit of traveling to distant capitals, where they are received with fanfare which is good for their ego and possibly for their standing at home. It usually seems pretty silly.
     The situation in Colombia does not improve. The killings and the ambushes continue. Colombian TV usually devotes almost half of its news program to soccer, with an occasional silly episode like the beauty contest in Cartagena. Today the big story was the visit to Bogotá of the prime minister of Morocco. To enlighten viewers about that country, the news programs showed belly dancers and snake charmers.
     Was there anything to it beyond the usual official tourism? The Economist (March 4) ran an article on Morocco entitled "Down in the dumps," describing the poverty of the people and the financial intrigues promoted by Morocco's new ties with the European Union. It is possible that some financial machinations were the real reason for this apparently pointless trip.

Ronald Hilton - 3/8/00