Editorial, El Diario:
The country is before political interests and conveniences
We are a few days away from the electoral process on October 18; the people, as always, hope that partisan politics, and especially the candidates, will show that they can be aware of the country and that their responsibility forces them to maintain serenity and respect for the people. That their sponsors and support activists understand that they cannot assume conduct contrary to honesty, cordiality and decency; that they understand that, as candidates’ supporters, they are obliged to honor those who placed their trust in them and not go too far in propaganda or with insults or high-sounding poses that, in any case, will do more harm to those who have given them their trust than to their opponents.
Prior to the campaign, debates and other demonstrations, it has shown that there are serious differences between the candidates, because they seem to understand that they are rivals or enemies and do not understand that they are mere competitors in a process that they must be the first to respect and honor; that they do not believe that with high-sounding and arrogant positions they will win the favor of the voters; that they understand that what the people believe depends on their behavior and that they hope for good behavior with those who are elected; that they understand that the people want to consolidate peace and harmony, that the partisan frictions and enmities that have already caused much damage to the country disappear.
The behavior of the voters will depend a lot on what the candidates say and do these days and, most importantly, knowing who they will vote for, so that the undecided decide what they should do and even the ill-intentioned, instead of canceling their vote, rectify conduct and vote conscientiously and honestly.
Finally, it is important that the candidates and their followers understand that Bolivia is long before “the party” or personal interests and conveniences, that the country is, before, now and always, the first and most important thing in national life. and that they, politicians, candidates or not, must serve and not use it.
El país es antes que intereses y conveniencias políticas
Estamos a pocos días del proceso electoral del l8 de octubre; el pueblo, como siempre, espera que la política partidista y muy especialmente los candidatos, demuestren que pueden tener conciencia de país y que su responsabilidad los obligue a mantener la serenidad y el respeto por el pueblo. Que sus patrocinadores y militancia de apoyo entiendan que no pueden asumir conductas contrarias a la honestidad, a la cordialidad y a la decencia; que entiendan que, como apoyos a candidatos, están obligados a honrar a los que depositaron su confianza en ellos y no se propasen en la propaganda ni con insultos ni con poses altisonantes que, en todo caso, harán más daño a quienes les han dado su confianza que a los contrarios.
Lo previo a la campaña, a los debates y otras manifestaciones, ha mostrado que entre los candidatos existen diferencias serias, porque parecen entender que son rivales o enemigos y no comprenden que son simples competidores en un proceso que ellos deben ser los primeros en respetar y honrar; que no crean que con posiciones altisonantes y soberbias conquistarán el favor de los electores; que comprendan que de su conducta depende qué crea el pueblo y tenga esperanzas de un buen comportamiento con quien sea elegido; que entiendan que el pueblo quiere consolidar la paz y la armonía, que desaparezcan las fricciones y enemistades partidistas que ya han causado mucho daño al país.
De lo que digan y hagan los candidatos en estos días dependerá mucho la conducta de los electores y, lo más importante, saber por quién votarán, para que los indecisos decidan lo que deben hacer y hasta los mal intencionados en vez de anular su voto rectifiquen conductas y voten consciente y honestamente.
Es importante, finalmente, que los candidatos y sus seguidores comprendan que Bolivia está mucho antes que “el partido” o que los intereses y conveniencias personales, que el país es, antes, ahora y siempre, lo primero y más importante en la vida nacional y que ellos, los políticos, candidatos o no, deben servir y no servirse de él.
Bolivian Thoughts over our wonders 