On the eve of the opposition primaries, a renowned pollster and political analyst reflected on “surfer politicians”: the type of politician who, to gain power, “never challenges the waves, never attempts to navigate by crashing against them; instead, they ride their crest and harness their energy to sail towards their goal.”

The overwhelming victory of María Corina Machado in the primaries, marked by massive and surprising participation, seems to counter that theory: her decisive win was built by challenging the ‘surfism’ that dominates Venezuelan politics, highlighting a leader who, instead of just riding the waves of circumstance, confronts them directly and wins the support of the people.

The driving force behind the primary vote was, primarily, the public’s fatigue with the worst government in history. However, it also represented an acknowledgment of perseverance and firmness in the face of an abusive regime that others have preferred to ‘surf’.

The ‘surfer politician’ model, favored by some advisors and analysts, does not seem to resonate with the Venezuelan electorate. This people, who in the past chose an anti-system candidate who promised to ‘sweep’—rather than surf—has once again shown a preference for leadership committed to going ‘all the way’, without concessions or quarter, echoing that momentum.

My commentary moves away from speculations about the electoral possibilities of the candidate. It should even less be interpreted as support. It focuses instead on contrasting the trend of political ‘surfing’ as a strategy against a stance that prioritizes firmness and conviction over agility and opportunism.

The politics that overcomes the prevailing cynicism and hypocrisy is not the one that ‘surfs’ the wave of circumstances or camouflages itself to reach a goal. It is, on the contrary, the one that challenges the status quo and acts against structural oppressions and despotisms, actively changing the realities of power in favor of more inclusive and fair social progress.

Politics is more than a struggle for power; it is also a vehicle for justice, social change, and structural reform. Not all politicians are Hernán Cortez; there are also Martin Luther Kings, those who reject ‘surfing’ on the currents of power and opt for a more transformative and constructive approach.

This undercurrent of change is tangible in the unexpectedly high participation in the primaries. According to Gramsci, real and social changes emerge when subordinate groups forge a new cultural hegemony that challenges and eventually replaces the dominant one. This process, described as a ‘war of positions’, is a strategic battle in the realms of ideas and culture that redefines what is natural and just. It goes beyond ‘surfing’ the conditions imposed by power, seeking instead to build a social consensus that supports and promotes new forms of politics and coexistence.

Thus, while the ‘surfer politician’ is content to navigate within the confines of what is established, Gramsci advocates for a transformation of these limits, where politics is not limited to tactics and strategies within the existing power game but seeks a profound structural change. It is a dynamic of ‘creating realities’ and establishing a ‘second power’, as coined by last century’s revolutionaries.

In practice, this means politicians who work not only to achieve power within the existing game but also strive to change the dynamics of the game itself so that it reflects and promotes a different set of values and social relationships based on equity and justice as indispensable principles for social peace. A practice that contrasts radically with the maneuver of the ‘surfer politician’, who is limited to adapting to prevailing currents, instead of transforming the underlying current. Let us aspire to more Martin Luther Kings, less José Britos.