Who Is Our President?
Who Is Our President?
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June 1, 2024
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The United States will hold its presidential elections in November. On May 30, President Donald Trump was convicted in the hush money case. Many expect
his chances of winning in November will be good. People believe something extraordinary is happening in the US, and that's true, but look at the government formation in the Netherlands and the search and selection of a new prime minister; that has yet to go entirely smoothly either. We often need to pay more attention to the upheaval in Venezuela and Suriname.
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However, we see unusual presidents globally, and I am not talking about countries like Russia or North Korea. Countries like the Philippines, Chile, and Colombia also have notable presidents. In some countries, these striking presidents are wildly popular, like Nayib Bukele?in El Salvador, who was overwhelmingly re-elected thanks to, among other things, his tough stance against gangs.
However, this is all happening in the context of an uncertain world amid transitions. Citizens often no longer see where things are headed. Recently, it was explained to me from a Dutch perspective. People point to the rise of Muslim extremism in their own country and throughout Western Europe. They see Donald Trump as the man who will counter this extremism. What is happening in Gaza is that Israel is taking a tough stance against Hamas extremists. The media does not portray this accurately because Israel takes excellent care with non-extreme Palestinians.
All in all, emotion, especially fear, governs, and no rational argument can counter it.
However, how is it viewed in Cura?ao? Friends and foes agree that things are not going well on the island. Even the upper class, who can still afford it, acknowledges this. The rest are poor, with 70% living below the poverty line. There is no vision or solution in sight, and yet "everyone knows" that the current ruling party will win the elections again in March 2025. Apparently, even court rulings will not change this, as people say.
Miguel Goede