Desfiles de Bufos (Parade of the Fools)

Uh Oh....

No!  All for fun!

Welcome to the show.  The annual Guatemala City tradition of political mockery, hosted by university students.  Just like in the States, and most other places, many politicians here deserve a public defacing for their lack of social action or anything close to humanitarian.  The mockery is done appropriately with absurdity - a perfect revelation of the ridicuoulsness of politics.  Like this:

"malnutrition"

Featured above are the delightful duo currently holding office.  With the election coming up, the first lady (se llama primera puta), Sandra Torres, has decided that she would like to run the country.  But, the constiution indicates that no relative of a president may run for office (or relative of ex-dictators which overthrew the govt illegally - the daughter of one is also trying to run) .  What to do, Sandra?  That's unfair!  How about divorce!  "For the love of my country."  Perfect...now she's ready!  Ohhhhh, bummer...in all the excitement she forgot that she is a Catholic, along with the majority of her constituents ("until death do us part..."). 

Sandra lookin' good for the photo-op

To me the divorce is so ridiculous that I could imagine it to be an act of sabotage in order to support another party (considering the level of corruption and above-the-law business here).  Who might this be helping?  PARTIDO PATRIOTA!

Their slogan is "Mano Duro" (Hard Hand).  Starting to look a bit familiar?   This party is running under the banner of homeland security, i.e. fear mongering.  The candidate is ex-general Otto Molina Perez, present during the civil war in Guatemala (This was a 30 year era in which continuous beligerent coops took hold of office and directed a massive genocide and oppresion of indigenous and poor Guatemaltecos in a war against guerrillas.  During this time, if one were to act in anyway unconformed or abnormal they were subject to torture.  To be fair, this was also a threat posed by guerilla groups towards the people...there is never a good war: They fought for the people/peasants, but had to completely control the villages they gained in fighting territory, so in turn this opressed the innocents from two ends.  The war was funded, and soldiers trained, by the US CIA in efforts to protect US buisness interests which have been in place since the late 19th century - coffee and bananas.  If you look at the history in Central America, it is the same as now in the Middle East.) 

In Guatemala there is gang and drug traffic violence, and the ex-general, out of ignorace and habit, believes that the best way to eliminate such violence is with a GREATER violence.  Literally.  In the late 90s (after the war was 'over' and peace accords signed), he actualized the campaign to end gang violence by sending a van of soldiers to drive-by and shoot handfuls of kids in the barrios.  He must not have learned from the past, when the direct killing of poor people led to a guerilla resistance.  Since the 90s, there is an increase in gang activity.  Despite this, it is most likely that Partido Patriota will win the election, and run a military-based nation - the masses are eay to scare.  Hard hand.

...

As you might have gathered there was sentiments of absurdity, and graveness (pun).  The event is an expression of grievances and urges for social awareness:

honorable protest committee of
all the agronomic pains

We will construct a new society
where all have opportunity.

For a free Latin America. A free Lybia.
Don't intrude, Yankee.

You can read that!  You know Spanish!

As well as an expression of artistic creativity: 

Moving theater which found itself upon many a bystander

Malabaristas!

And dance:

And these guys:

???

Political comedian who gave a speech on the city hall steps.  ´´For my Guatemala, I accept much!´´

 ...

Overall, this was a magnificant, energizing experience, running around and taking pictures.  This event was again another displayof the color and enthusiasm of Guatemala.  I have never seen anything like this in the States, but certainly hope to one day.

Hasta la victoria, siempre!

Ronjon