"Elect me," he asked his people, "and I will put an end to corruption, crime, and impunity."

Now, he will probably be elected unanimously as the first martyr of a new age of terror in a region that refuses to exorcize the demons of caudillismo, corruption, and endless internal social fractures. Organized crime, terrorism, drug trafficking, and new global criminal networks are condemning Latin America to perpetual backwardness, poverty, and subjection.

Today it is Ecuador, but tomorrow it may be México (again), Colombia, Venezuela or any other country giving birth to courageous political leaders willing to openly speak the names of those responsible for their tragedies.

Fernando Villavicencio dared the hitmen, the narcos, his political enemies and they did not hesitate to shut him up, for good. They can do that to anyone now, just like they did it during Escobar's golden age. Most politicians are either under their radar or under their payroll. Military actions are reserved for meddlesome civilians demanding human rights. International sanctions and human rights institutions only pay lip service to the ever growing networks of diabolic crimes. Populations, ethnic or religious groups need not be invaded by a foreign power now to be exterminated. Their fellow countrymen/women can do it and broadcast it live on social media.

In the meantime, we have corrupt politicians, terrorists, rapists, child-abusers, and human right violators asking people to elect them. They blatantly show their colors and their affiliations and still people are electing them and keeping them in office.

Progressive dictatorships, backed up by questionable elections and state-sponsored terrorism, are here to stay. True, political oppression in the region used to come from the right some decades ago, but the new wave is clearly leftist (even if just on the surface and without ideological commitment) and seems to be justified by whatever persecution they suffered in the past. Those who can stop them are allegedly taking care of bigger, more pressing problems. Guilt of past miscalculations seems to paralyze them. They seem to profit from the migration chaos that has been caused by their political blunders and which threatens to dramatically alter the region.

Unless centrist governments start making it their mission to eradicate poverty and corruption and declare war to local criminal organizations and their international allies, the whole world might as well go to hell. It will be pointless to try to insist on looking at the bright side. Optimists will not know what hit them.

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