The recent decision to terminate the contract for the demolition and reconstruction of the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Bogotá, I stoke tension in the relationship between the National Government and the District Mayor’s Office. Especially since this is not the first time that the Executive has intervened in issues associated with the country’s capital.
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In an interview with El TIEMPO, the mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, referred to this situation and questioned how some of these decisions impact the autonomy of the city.
According to the president, this attitude on the part of the Government has been perceived in matters such as the development of the Metro project, the intervention of the Central East Subnetwork and even in discussions on territorial planning in Bogotá and the Sabana.
In this regard, Galán stressed that, while he understands and respects that President Gustavo Petro has a position on some issues in the city, it is important that he also respects not only that there is a mayor in Bogotá, who may have a different view on many frontsbut also the local authorities that are in the Constitution.
“My responsibility is also to defend the interests of the city, to defend its autonomy and the decisions that are made. I have had to demand respect more and more, because I see that the National Government has an attitude of not respecting,” Indian.
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Gustavo Petro and Carlos Fernando Galan.
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Regarding the specific relationship with the Head of State, Mayor Galán said that from the first day I have been willing to work with the Executive, understanding that there are differences. In this regard, he stressed that “The fact that someone who is not close to the National Government was elected in Bogotá cannot imply that Bogotá will be affected.”
“I would ask the President what he would have thought if the National Government had interfered in decisions that were his responsibility as mayor. What would he have done? What he is doing is interfering in matters that depend on and are the responsibility of the city.”he added.
Works in Bogotá
Regarding the issue of the Government’s fiscal commitments to infrastructure projects in the capital, the Mayor has so far fulfilled what is in the agreements agreed with the District. This includes the contribution of future terms for the first line of the Bogotá Metro.
However, he mentioned that there is a concern about credits for the following phases of the project.
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Works in Bogotá.
“It is not a matter of guaranteeing in a certain way that the Nation will give the validity, but rather of guaranteeing that we can move forward in terms of credit. This has to happen soon because the city will begin to need these credits, surely in the first half of next year, even this second half.”he noted.
In this regard, he stressed that he hopes that progress will be made soon and that dialogue has been maintained with the Ministry of Finance on projects such as the Metroline one, Metroline two, what it has to do with fleet renewal and the purchase of a fleet for the new TransMilenio trunk lines.
If you want to read the full interview, click here here.
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