President Santos to win 2014 election

[Judi Lynn]

3. Thought of your post yesterday when I saw this article:

Antanas Mockus: Colombians fear ridicule more than being fined

Former Bogota mayor, who cut homicide rates by 70%, says people thought he was joking when he suggested raising taxes

Sarah Marsh
Guardian Professional, Monday 28 October 2013 04.00 EDT



One of the most intense moments in the life of Antanas Mockus was when he came face to face with an aggressive-looking man who grabbed him and with emotion said: "You can make the good side stronger in me and get a good man out of me."

That desire of his fellow Colombians to improve has been at the heart of the career of this professor-turned-politician, known during his two terms as mayor of Bogota for his surprising and often humorous initiatives. Mockus said that while Colombians tend to think negatively about their neighbours, they usually discover that people have the capacity to be better than they think.

Mockus, who presided over Bogota first in the 1990s and again from 2001, has focused on human behaviour throughout his political career, conducting a series of social experiments to improve the city's services. He once hired 420 mime artists to make fun of traffic violators because he believes Colombians fear ridicule more than being fined.

This philosophical approach to leadership helped Mockus transform the city in his first term, cutting the homicide rate by an impressive 70% and traffic fatalities by more than 50%.

More:
http://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2013/oct/28/antanas-mockus-bogota-mayor