The wall pit contains sanitary waste. Being underground, it is not visible to everyone. When the well wall overflows, people see the waste in all its brutality and smell its stench. In recent weeks, the country has watched with indignation as the political pit overflows.

The dirty waters of political “payoleo” and party persecution of civil servants have surfaced to reveal their hideous appearance and plague.

The Sixto Díaz Colon case exposed what had been an open secret: extortion and influence-buying to gain privileged access to the media in order to manipulate public opinion. This is political payoleo.

Figures like Diaz Colon are media mercenaries. In addition, in many cases they use money, public funds, so that influencers favor politicians and attack their opponents.

Diaz Colon’s case is dramatic because the practice occurred at the most critical moment Puerto Rico has faced in modern times. On the eve of the publication of the content of the famous “chat”, which contained homophobic and sexist references, the disclosure of confidential information about government contracts for mega-projects, the persecution of political opposition and the mocking of the death of Maria, the rapprochement of Diaz takes place. to the highest levels of Ricardo Rosselló’s government.

Diaz Colon’s idea was that in exchange for $300,000, he would buy the support of people in the media to speak well of the then governor. We know the consequences. Mr. Diaz Colon was convicted, but his conviction does not solve the problem. This is an old problem.

In fact, exactly four years ago, as a senator, I introduced Senate Bill 1185 to create the Government Communications Transparency Act. The purpose of the project was to require that during any interview or oral, visual or written performance by a public servant before mass communication and/or digital media in which public funds are used, paid or invested, the use of said funds and the person identified. or the management company, applicant, intermediary or coordinator according to the end and start of the transfer. Needless to say, the project was not even brought to a public hearing. We already know why.

Resident Commissioner Jennifer Gonzalez, on the other hand, decried that PNP civil servants are not participating in their activities as they have been threatened with dismissal by the Pedro Pierluisi administration. The Resident Commissioner may be right, but she does not have the moral strength to make a statement.

Guerrilla persecution has always been in the red and blue government. Why is González condemning this now and not before, even when his party used the practice? Because now it affects her in her primary drama against Pedro Pierluisi.

Everyone knows that when the blue governor wins, he ousts and frees the reds; and that when the red governor wins, he deposes and dismisses the blue. Both parties have always persecuted and marginalized independents. PPD and PNP have always sought to turn the government into the “alter ego” of their parties.

This is a fundamental problem of public administration. Instead of merit preference, party criteria prevail in the recruitment and promotion of civil servants. Organizations of civil servants PPD and PNP have even been created in the agencies. Under party pressure, civil servants were asked to collect funds, mobilize school officials for proselytizing activities; to serve as the political arm of their respective institutions. If they don’t, they put their beans at risk.

Apart from being humiliating, it leads to political “bashing” that affects the civil service and demoralizes thousands of civil servants who struggle with work but have no opportunity for promotion or employment justice because they are not politicized. governmental.

Bipartisanship used political “payoleo” and partisan harassment of public officials to maintain control. The best remedy to disinfect these murky waters is to end the bipartisanship of the PPD and PNP.