Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
entregar la estafeta
English translation:
to hand over the baton / to hand over the reins (to someone\'s successor)
Added to glossary by
María Teresa Taylor Oliver
May 2, 2019 17:08
5 yrs ago
6 viewers *
Spanish term
Panama
Synesthete with a flair for tasty words!
Native in: Spanish (Variants: Nicaraguan, Mexican, Peruvian, Venezuelan, Cuban, Honduran, Argentine, US, Guatemalan, Salvadoran, Latin American, Colombian, Costa Rican, Panamanian) 
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish
entregar la estafeta
Spanish to English
Other
Slang
I'm translating an opinion piece in a Guatemalan newspaper, in which the commentator claims the US "turned a blind eye" on the crimes committed by President Morales: https://lahora.gt/con-ayuda-de-eua-el-pais-entregado-en-band...
The phrase below between asterisks is the one giving me trouble. "Estafeta" for me means "post office," but I don't think that's the meaning here. I'm thinking something along the lines of a goverment official handing over their position after having ended their term, but I'm not sure.
Thanks in advance!
Context:
"Estados Unidos no puede ocultar su condición de cómplice en el desmantelamiento de los avances en la lucha contra la corrupción y eso se traduce en un arca abierta para que florezca este tipo de narcoestado que cada vez se muestra con mayor claridad, al punto de que sin empacho hay candidatos y funcionarios que se comprometen a colaborar con el trasiego de la droga a cambio de participar de las multimillonarias ganancias que rinde ese tipo de negocio.
Aquí estaban urgidos de rescatar las condiciones del pasado, previo al 2015, y no están dispuestos a volverlas a perder, tal y como aseguró un influyente personaje al ************entregar la estafeta************. Esas condiciones son las que alientan no sólo la corrupción traducida en coimas y sobornos, sino la posibilidad de entregar el país en bandeja a los narcos que, a pulso, se están ganando el derecho de convertirse en los amos y señores de Guatemala."
The phrase below between asterisks is the one giving me trouble. "Estafeta" for me means "post office," but I don't think that's the meaning here. I'm thinking something along the lines of a goverment official handing over their position after having ended their term, but I'm not sure.
Thanks in advance!
Context:
"Estados Unidos no puede ocultar su condición de cómplice en el desmantelamiento de los avances en la lucha contra la corrupción y eso se traduce en un arca abierta para que florezca este tipo de narcoestado que cada vez se muestra con mayor claridad, al punto de que sin empacho hay candidatos y funcionarios que se comprometen a colaborar con el trasiego de la droga a cambio de participar de las multimillonarias ganancias que rinde ese tipo de negocio.
Aquí estaban urgidos de rescatar las condiciones del pasado, previo al 2015, y no están dispuestos a volverlas a perder, tal y como aseguró un influyente personaje al ************entregar la estafeta************. Esas condiciones son las que alientan no sólo la corrupción traducida en coimas y sobornos, sino la posibilidad de entregar el país en bandeja a los narcos que, a pulso, se están ganando el derecho de convertirse en los amos y señores de Guatemala."
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +5 | hand over the baton |
Marie Wilson
|
| 4 +1 | hand over the reins |
neilmac
|
| 3 | hand over the goods / deliver the goods |
JohnMcDove
|
Proposed translations
+5
9 mins
Selected
hand over the baton
This was my first thought before I read your interpretation, and I have found this meaning:
en América Latina, a la estafeta o testigo, una barra de metal o de material similar que se utiliza en las carreras de relevos, una de las pruebas del atletismo;
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estafeta
pass the baton or hand over the baton
If you pass the baton or hand over the baton to someone, you give them responsibility for something. Does this mean that the baton of leadership is going to be passed to other nations? Last year, he handed over the baton to his younger colleague.
https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/pass the baton
en América Latina, a la estafeta o testigo, una barra de metal o de material similar que se utiliza en las carreras de relevos, una de las pruebas del atletismo;
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estafeta
pass the baton or hand over the baton
If you pass the baton or hand over the baton to someone, you give them responsibility for something. Does this mean that the baton of leadership is going to be passed to other nations? Last year, he handed over the baton to his younger colleague.
https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/pass the baton
Example sentence:
He was yet more explicit when he handed over the baton of the party ... his defeated rival, who left politics for business ...
Obama on his last day as US President before he handed over the baton to Trump.
Note from asker:
| Thank you! That is very helpful. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Robert Carter
: Yes Marie, that's how I understand "entregar la estafeta" too, though I'm not sure precisely what is going on in the sentence posted. It may require tweaking this idea.
7 mins
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Thanks, Robert :-) I think this is the idea and closest, but other ways of saying it, pass on the torch, hand over the reins, etc.
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| agree |
neilmac
: Darn - I didn't notice you'd already posted this... the dog is pestering me for a walk....
44 mins
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Thanks, Neil! Yes, it's never enough with dogs, I've got a few.
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| agree |
Juan Jacob
: Viendo tu explicación en inglés, de acuerdo. Significa claramente pasarle el mando a alguien.
47 mins
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Gracias, Juan Jacob. No lo había escuchado nunca, la palabra estafeta, pero imaginaba que era eso.
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| agree |
Charles Davis
: Good old Wikipedia! Much maligned but so often invaluable. As you say, there are several possibilities; I feel it might be best here simply to say "on handing over to his successor".
3 hrs
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Thanks, Charles! Yes, Wikipedia can be handy. That's the meaning, more than one way of expressing it.
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| agree |
JohnMcDove
: I was ready to give my "agree", but in reading the whole article, I am not so sure... /-/ Okay then.
9 hrs
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I have just read whole article and I don't see why not. "Handing over the baton" isn't necessarily voluntary (re example Obama-Trump), and though this person has done so, he might still be moving the strings behind the scenes. // Thanks, John:-)
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks!"
+1
53 mins
hand over the reins
An option.
"Reins" = riendas; o sea, el control del asunto.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 54 mins (2019-05-02 18:03:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Oops! I didn't realise Marie had already mentined this option. Sorry folks!
"Reins" = riendas; o sea, el control del asunto.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 54 mins (2019-05-02 18:03:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Oops! I didn't realise Marie had already mentined this option. Sorry folks!
Example sentence:
The Right Way to Hand Over the Reins. Bringing in new leadership....
Knowing when to hand over the reins. A survey shows...
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Marie Wilson
: Hope the dog is happy.
48 mins
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Those puppy eyes speak volumes :-)
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9 hrs
hand over the goods / deliver the goods
I believe in this case, this influential person is not turning over the baton or the reins, especially when the sentence goes,
y no están dispuestos a volverlas a perder, -- and they're not willing to lose them again,
https://dle.rae.es/?id=GkAQIbz
3. Correo especial para el servicio diplomático.
Special mail for the diplomatic service.
It seems to me that he is delivering the "goods" under "diplomatic protection" or "diplomatic immunity".
N.B. at the top of the article,
Desde hace tiempo se sabe que hay autoridades que protegen a los cárteles del narco y que les facilitan el trasiego de la droga, convirtiendo a Guatemala en un puente importante del tráfico hacia ese inmenso mercado que es Estados Unidos donde, por cierto, nunca cae ningún capo y pareciera que la droga se mueve solita porque nunca se ha sabido de la detención de algún personaje importante de los que se encargan de la distribución a gran escala.
The clincher here seems to be "se encargan de la distribución a gran escala"...
And in this case, this "influential person" would be "delivering" these drugs..., in my view.
Why would he be handing over his privileged position?
It doesn't jibe for me...
y no están dispuestos a volverlas a perder, -- and they're not willing to lose them again,
https://dle.rae.es/?id=GkAQIbz
3. Correo especial para el servicio diplomático.
Special mail for the diplomatic service.
It seems to me that he is delivering the "goods" under "diplomatic protection" or "diplomatic immunity".
N.B. at the top of the article,
Desde hace tiempo se sabe que hay autoridades que protegen a los cárteles del narco y que les facilitan el trasiego de la droga, convirtiendo a Guatemala en un puente importante del tráfico hacia ese inmenso mercado que es Estados Unidos donde, por cierto, nunca cae ningún capo y pareciera que la droga se mueve solita porque nunca se ha sabido de la detención de algún personaje importante de los que se encargan de la distribución a gran escala.
The clincher here seems to be "se encargan de la distribución a gran escala"...
And in this case, this "influential person" would be "delivering" these drugs..., in my view.
Why would he be handing over his privileged position?
It doesn't jibe for me...
Discussion