Around the discussion "Situation and Political and Social Impacts of the Global Pandemic of COVID -19", a panel of teachers from the University of Cauca, reflected on the way the coronavirus crisis is being faced and the political, health, and economic consequences and social factors that the spread of the pandemic can bring globally.

 

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COVID -19 has been registered as one of the largest health emergencies in the history of humanity due to the large number of deaths that it has left so far in Europe, Asia and Latin America, among other places in the world. In this way they detailed the current situation, the invited speakers to the Virtual Conversation "Situation and Political and Social Impacts of the Global Pandemic of COVID -19", which took place during the week and was broadcast on institutional social networks.

 

In this space for analysis, the teachers and researchers at the Universidad del Cauca: Odín Ávila Rojas, María Fernanda Figueroa, Raúl Cortés Landázuri; Jairo Ortiz; Carlos Ortega and the Argentine political scientist Leandro Montessi Rotun, exchanged knowledge, experiences and ideas about the political, social impact and the cost that this pandemic represents in the national and world economy.

 

The experts indicated that COVID-19 can harm the world economy especially in three ways: directly affecting production, creating disruptions in the supply chain and in the market, and due to its impact on financial markets. However, it also depends on society's reaction to the disease.

 

Odín Ávila Rojas, professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Cauca, referred to the situation and the political and social impact of the coronavirus, explaining that in recent weeks extensive information has been generated on medical disciplines related to biology and the study of the pandemic. "In recent months the crisis will be more noticeable in terms of social inequality, injustice and human relations. At bottom, this crisis has a root in neoliberalism, which implies the reduction of the public and social function not only in the countries of Latin America, but also in the entire world, ”said the junior researcher at Colciencias de Colombia and researcher at Sniconacyt from Mexico, responsible for the Sub-line of Inter-Ethnic Conflicts and Political Thought of the Cepag hotbed.

 

The lawyer and professor of law and researcher at Colciencias, María Fernanda Figueroa, made her contribution from the legal and constitutional point of view; In this regard, he indicated that this health crisis will undoubtedly generate discussions at all levels due to the relevance and nature of social, economic and cultural rights. "Just as in World War II fundamental rights were considered supreme values ​​of the human being, at this historical moment the right to life, liberty, equality and the population's rights to health will take on special relevance , to drinking water and the environment; This global pandemic is also not an exception in the legal field to maintain public order, guarantee security, health and public tranquility, "said the teacher.

 

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Raúl Cortés Landázury, professor of Economics and member of the research group on Development and Public Policies, focused his speech on the role of the State between economic growth and health in times of coronavirus. "This will allow us to know the ideological and conceptual foundations on which society is based in terms of production models, commercial, financial and business management at the micro and macro economic level"

 

"Faced with these types of dilemmas, the State focuses on three main functions: economic growth, employment and health. The foregoing will allow to know the ideological and conceptual foundations of society with respect to production models, commercial, financial and business management, determining its operation and monetary impact. The State cannot go out to spend in all sectors to ensure employment and the level of economic activity,” said teacher Cortés Landázury.

 

In his speech, Professor of Political Science, Jairo Ortiz, member of the GIAPRIP research group and mentor of the seedbed, said that there are those who maintain that this virus is being exaggerated, that not even the "Spanish flu" that was so lethal, it had such serious effects on the economy. “There is an excessive panic that is spreading like the same virus that will not defeat capitalism; there will be a before and after the pandemic and this will produce structural changes since the virus put our system to the test, ”said the teacher.

 

He indicated that there are those who think of the beginning of a new era and the end of the neoliberal economic model of democracy and of the State itself as a regular entity of legitimate force and sovereignty. Furthermore, a new way of thinking and doing politics is emerging, which would lead to a new form of society with many centers of power that will no longer be centralized and unified.

 

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“Changes will be presented, but they will not be very significant, in such a way that the neoliberal economic model will continue and take hold after the pandemic; China will establish itself as the world's leading economic power, relegating the United States to second place. The other countries will see it as an example and will copy the model that allowed them to overcome the virus that is now known as digital surveillance or the digital police state, "he added.

Carlos Ortega, professor of Political Science and member of the research group GIAPRIP, said that the talks are important because the University has not been closed or with its back turned, it is still alive at this time making presence with its students and graduates who have also been part activity of the University through donations and initiatives.

 

"In this sense, we have to be proud of the important role that Unicauca is playing in the region, so welcome these spaces of analysis to which my teaching colleagues have greatly contributed," said the Colciencias junior researcher and mentor of the Ágora seedbed, who added that at this moment the crisis has materialized and accentuated in all its forms and precarious conditions in health, work, education and in the productive economic fabric of the country.

 

Finally, the political scientist Leandro Montessi Rotun, a graduate student in Political Science at the Catholic University of Argentina, stated that after the pandemic there will be a reorganization in social, cultural terms and in how the State relates to society. "It is not a decision that the State makes for itself, I think it is a decision that the community itself will take as soon as it decides to reinforce the power of the State, minimize it, accept that a much stronger welfare state is needed or perhaps look towards a more individualistic system, which also depends on the experience of each State and how the crisis is handled.”

 

"There will be great changes in cultural terms in a country like Argentina where cultural roots are great in behaviors, forms of remote work that were being postponed or in meetings such as this discussion, which were not held until a while ago began to appear with more strength and there is a reconversion in all industrial systems to move to a stage of service systems through digital media, "he concluded.

 

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Faculty of Law, Political and Social Sciences

Email: giaprip@unicauca.edu.co