“A lie is like a snowball; “The more it rolls, the bigger it is.” This phrase attributed to Martin Luther depicts an election panorama in which many messages are configured with doses of lies and spread as absolute truth to attack one point of view for the benefit of another. People are fed abundant post-truth, that “deliberate distortion of reality, which manipulates beliefs and emotions to influence public opinion and social attitudes” (RAE). Before it was transmitted by word of mouth, today it “flies” on social networks.

Political marketing is used to create positioning strategies and trolls to provoke, insult and slander opponents. Weaknesses are magnified, expressions are taken out of context, words are edited, mistakes are exaggerated. In the fierce war to win votes, anything goes. A small mistake exposes the unfortunate person to media manipulation, public ridicule in that chest of snow that rolls on markets, parks, buses, shopping and educational centers, stadiums, moving polls of voting intentions. Certain print, digital, television and radio media also contribute to this “information” wheel.

In the current selection process, the finalists have made communication lapses, such as: words spoken with a different intention; wrong or inappropriate examples; incredible government promises; uncertain or impromptu answers, etc. Add to this the spread of fake news, which many accept as undeniable reality; even more so if her leaders assumed she was trustworthy. “If the leader of such an event says that this did not happen, then it did not happen. If he says that two and two are five, then two and two are five. This prospect worries me more than bombs,” says George Orwell, depicting the fanaticism and non-objectivity of various political supporters.

(…) each voter will give his grade at the final exam, to determine who will spend a year and a half in Carondelet…

It would be good to hear: “my opponent must have been confused”, “maybe they took their statements out of context”, in order to reduce the visibility of the other’s mistake. It dignifies politics, educates the citizen, blows away the snow and the truth that weakens democracy. But the exact opposite is happening, fake news is being promoted, the opposite error is being exploited and exaggerated. Orwell adds: “All questions are political questions, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, nonsense, hatred and schizophrenia”; How much does it reflect us as a society?

Yesterday’s platforms caused constant contact between the candidates and the people. The Speaker confirmed the vote again, convinced the undecided. Debates confronted ideas and proposed solutions for citizens’ demands, in front of a very analytical audience. The moderator had a neutral and important role. Today, discussions have lowered the level, with exceptions; but it is a direct and effective source of information between citizens and candidates for listening to their work plans. There, each voter – without media contamination – will put his grade on the final exam, to define who will spend a year and a half in Carondelet in a difficult term; I hope it will succeed for the good of our country. (OR)