Colombia: Video remixing and Presidential Elections · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Online video platforms provide the perfect ground for creation and transformation, and remixing is one of the methods by which users tell new stories from existing material. In Colombia, as Presidential Elections loom close, it seems that this technique is taking ground. From Hitler, to Chris Crocker and Pinky and the Brain, fans show their candidates support by remixing videos to benefit their candidates, sometimes by mocking the opposition.
First is the now classic Der Untergang (The Downfall) scene in which Adolf Hitler has a melt-down when he discovers the war is lost. In this version, his reason for the melt-down are the unfavorable presidential opinion poll results which benefit the Green Party's candidate Antanas Mockus, former Bogota Major who is famous for improving security and minimizing violence in the city by riding elephants, dressing up as a superhero and using mimes to mock traffic law violators since he considered that citizens feared ridicule more than fines.
Following are the translated captions with some notes to contextualize some of the references:
This morning Mockus went public with his Parkinson disease, Noemi took back what she said about Arias, here, and Santos adroitly asked not to use Parkinson's in the smear campaign against Mockus here.
-With this it is certain that Mockus will bomb in the polls.
-My Führer…according to Datexco…
-According to Datexco, Mockus is still in second place, and only 5 points away from Comrade Santos.
[silence]
-Delegates from Caracol, RCN, the W and El Tiempo [edit. note. these are major Media channels in Colombia] will stay…
Idiots! There's only one month left! Mockus is showing us his behind again! [edit. note. Mockus is famous for pulling down his pants in front of an auditorium full of noisy students]
But if this were Piedad Cordoba [edit. note. controversial Senator who has been key to the liberation of people kidnapped by the terrorist organization FARC] you'd be paying attention! All you notice is ratings, what mediocre media you are!
The third channel measures were delayed, Cambio magazine was closed and what did we get? A first debate in which the Gurisatti couldn't get Santos to be recognized like the country's messiah… our Saviour!
-My Fuhrer, we underestimated Mockus’ intelligence regarding comrades Noemi and San..
-Arias was better with his AIS![Edit. Note. a policy to improve the lives of farmers which turned out to benefit the rich and powerful instead]. He wouldn't answer like a Miss Antioquia [Edit. Note. famous for giving a nonsensical answer during the interview portion of a national beauty pageant]
-My Fuhrer, joining with Fajardo was a blow…
-And what if Fajardo joined him? He didn't even get one seat in Congress! The people don't make the decisions here!
More than 100 years of bureaucracy and government corruption and now a martian with his green people will win! I refuse to plant sunflowers in my front yard and that my grand children have become fans of the Green Party! They even went to the Green bike ride last Sunday!
Antanas with his civic culture and respect has won them over and alienated them!
How I wish that Santos would win and Uribe could continue governing with his strong hand! Long live Democratic Security, Long live!
But if Mockus wins, if Mockus wins there wont be war anymore, only civic culture. No more stealing from the state! More respect, study, progress and investigation!
He handed back to the government $4500 millions he saved in parlamentary elections, he says that for a school in a blue collar sector, can you believe it? Politicians by their own hand giving back money to the State?
-Calm down, nobody will know that the P.I.N. supports Santos.
-I can't believe that the news about the Parkinson's didn't work. The MIRA didn't ally themselves with Santos, preffering to leave their voters free. This is the end.
Caracol, it is your turn. You  have to promote a new debate, and have Tola and Maruja [edit. note. tv characters who humorously discuss the country's political situation] preside over it. Make sure Noemi doesn't speak and decrease Mockus’ response time without anyone noticing it.
It is our last chance.
Even as automated copyright takedown notices are removing from YouTube dozens of parodies like this one featuring The Downfall,new parody options are surfacing. Such is the case of internet personality Chris Crocker's claim to fame video: Leave Britney Alone, which uses the same technique as with The Downfall. Original footage and audio is left intact, and subtitles are the ones who tell the new version of the story.  In this video, it seems that Chris, on behalf of Colombian presidential candidate Juan Manuel Santos is telling the world not to vote for candidate Antanas Mockus, from the Green Party:
I don't understand how you dare vote for Mockus after all Santos has done!!! Yes, he isn't very good at public speaking and his mascara tends to run, but he has a penal process in Ecuador, he had to defend the DAS bugged phone lines, the false positives and was even framed by Mancuso. But none of you understand, he is for real, he does what he can!!! HE TRIES! Can't you see he always tries to emulate Uribe, he even changed his French linen suits to a miserable poncho and hat. He has been liberal, Conservative and Uribista, and now he can't even play golf at the Country Club in peace because Colombia now allegedly wants PEACE, PEACE, PEACE! CHOOSE HIM! He gave you the 2 for two thousand policy… Ingrates! DON'T VOTE FOR MOCKUS! please. Santos has never won anything, has never been popularly elected, he has always been hand picked. But all you care about is for corruption to stop, for there to be more education, and now even life is supposed to be sacred? DON'T VOTE FOR MOCKUS! please. Change your vote preference NOW. Don't look for me. The poor guy already felt he was President, but thanks to you, now he even has to order for new opinion polls to be made. Don't vote for Mockus.
But not all videos support Mockus. This next one strongly criticizes the deification of the candidate as seen in the media. In it, the author uses a TV ad where artists support the Green Party's candidate to  give the recipe on how to create a religion around a candidate:
How to create a religion.
Make up a story,
find someone to blame,
Define a list of sins,
Invent temptation,
Create demons, evil,
Generate fear,
propose salvation
create commandments
show yourself as a divine being,
invent miracles
find yourself some priests
find believers who will speak well of you
Make up super powers
promise change.
peace.
Hire preachers.
Use a keyword: The Truth.
The Faithful
The creed,
Invite to salvation.
The believers
Make them feel ignorant.
Put a name on it, create a symbol.
On the Antimockus YouTube channel they have a video where they compare Pinky and the Brain with Mockus and Fajardo.
Hey, Antanas, what are we going to do tonight?
The same thing we did in the 98 Sergio, try to hmmmmmm..
It's Mockus and Fajardo, It's Mockus and Fajardo, One doesn't comb his hair the other's insane.
In the classrooms they are surrounded by infiltrated paramilitaries,
It's Mockus, It's Mockus and Fajardo, do, do do do do .
Before each night is done, they want to be understood, and when the sun comes up, everything will be the same.
It's Mockus and Fajardo, It's Mockus and Fajardo, their motivation is easy to explain. To prove their worth they'll bare their bottoms.
It's Mockus and Fajardo, It's Mockus and Fajardo, do do do do do
The Santos Presidente campaign is also using the power of internet memes to push people into voting for Santos by asking them if they wish to relieve the terror of the insecure highways.