The debt accumulated by the Municipality of Maldonado with its suppliers has reached the figure of 35 million dollarsa significant increase since the end of 2015, when it amounted to just over 11 million. The information was shared by the councilor of the Frente Amplio, Marie Claire Millanin a session of the Departmental Board held on December 3.
This financial situation has raised concerns about resource management and local government projections at a time when the financial health of the Municipality of Montevideo is also being debated and narratives in this regard are politicized.
During his speech, Millán explained that the municipal debt of the mayor’s office, which has been in charge of the mayor for two terms for the National Party, Enrique Antíahas tripled in absolute terms over the course of eight years.
At the end of 2015, the administration led by former mayor Óscar de los Santos reported a liability of 1,375 million Uruguayan pesoswhich translates to approximately 11 million dollars. However, at the end of this year, that figure has risen to almost 603 million pesos, which represents a significant negative effect on the finances of the commune.
The detailed analysis of the situation allowed Millán to identify that the total debt of the Municipality is broken down into obligations of 75 million generated between the years 2020, 2021 and 2022, adding another 1,300 million that correspond to the year 2023.
“The Municipality of Maldonado contracted a trust of 95 million dollars to organize the finances and at the end of the 2023 fiscal year it had unpaid debts from 2020, 2021, 2022,” explained the mayor, emphasizing the mismatch between sanitation expectations and the financial reality.
Irregularities in accountability
The councilor also criticized the process of accountability of the Municipalityindicating that the Court of Auditors has had to systematically correct the information provided by the commune. Millán argued that the reported figures are often inaccurate, stating that “The Municipality has blatantly lied to you since 2015”. This lack of precision raises serious doubts about the way in which public resources and transparency in the administration have been managed.
From Millán’s perspective, Maldonado’s accumulated deficit has shown alarming growth. At the end of 2023, the Municipality had a deficit of 6,112 million pesos, compared to the 2,638 million that were reported at the end of De los Santos’ mandate. This disparity not only reflects poor management, but also puts at risk the Municipality’s ability to meet its obligations in the short and medium term.
Regarding the variation in debt, Millán stressed that, in peso terms, it has multiplied 2.3 times, while in dollars it has tripled. Since the end of 2015, where the debt was 48 million dollarsuntil 2023, the figure skyrocketed to 157 million. These data show a worrying trend that could impact the economic development of the region.
