“Two police officers were killed in Guasmo”; “A policeman was killed during a chase in the south of Guayaquil”; “They killed a police officer on the island of Trinitaria.” “Two police officers killed in northern Guasmo.” These are some of the newspaper headlines between February 22 and March 30 this year.
We run the risk of getting used to it and seeing it as something everyday. We forget that the mission of the police is to protect the safety of citizens and public order and peace, and to protect the free exercise of rights and the safety of people on state territory; and that every day, when the policeman puts on his uniform and says goodbye to his family, he does not know what challenge awaits him and whether he will return; and that some, indeed, do not return, they lost their lives fulfilling their mission, to defend our peace and security.
This is not only happening in Ecuador; In fact, this thinking was motivated by reading a journalist’s note about the burial of the Chilean Corporal Daniel Palma, killed while inspecting some vehicles after a complaint from residents of the neighborhood who heard gunshots.
Of course, there was also criticism from opposition people who complained about insecurity, but what caught my attention was the note about the funeral, which states that there were hundreds of people at the mass who went to pay their respects to whom they consider to be a martyr. for the police. But in addition, several mayors and senior officials, the President of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, the National Prosecutor and former presidents Ricardo Lagos, Michelle Bachelet and Sebastián Piñera attended. This is a good lesson. There are differences between President Gabrijel Borić and the mentioned former presidents, not only due to generational distance, but also ideological. Borić won the elections as a candidate of the Pact for Dignity coalition, which is made up of left-wing parties and movements, including the Communist Party. Piñera was a candidate for Renovación Nacional, the liberal conservative party he supported; Independent Democratic Community, also on the right; and Chile Primero, progressive liberal tendencies. Ricardo Lagos is a socialist and founder of the Party for Democracy, which is considered center-left. Michelle Bachelet belonged to the socialist youth from a young age and was a member of the central committee of the Socialist Party of Chile; however, he cooperated with the governments of Aylwin and Frei, both Christian Democrats.
This note reflects political maturity by making it clear that in the face of a common enemy, in this case crime, the response must be unanimous, regardless of ideology, party, religion or age. Neither the acting president nor the former presidents have allowed their differences to make them forget that the country and citizens are their first priority.
On the other hand, the mass departure of citizens to dismiss Corporal Palma is a recognition not only of his individual work, but also of the institution from which we expect a guarantee for our safety and to which we owe respect and support.
These are two examples that leave us with lessons. (OR)
Source: Eluniverso
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
