Petro denies that his position on the Metro is blackmail

The debate on the first line of the Metro does not seem to end. In recent weeks, a strong discussion has broken out between President Gustavo Petro and Mayor Claudia López.

(Read: ‘We will take into account that Bogotá did not respect agreements’: Minstransporte).

It should be remembered that the president assured that if part of the first line was not made underground, they would change the financing granted by the Nation to this project. Which is not minimal but implies around 70%.

For her part, Mayor Claudia López told EL TIEMPO that it is unfeasible to modify the Metro contract. Thus, proposes adding three underground stations from 72nd Street to 100th Street.

From various sectors there has been talk that the Head of State would be doing ‘blackmail’ by putting the financing of the project at stake. This February 6, the president came out to deny those intentions.

(Keep reading: Bogotá Metro: Mintransporte is cited for political control debate).

“I offered to fully finance with national resources the undergrounding of the most active part of the front line, that is not blackmail“, wrote the president through his Twitter account.

Likewise, he clarified that if it is possible to modify the contract by adding the stations mentioned by López, it can also be changed to carry out the stations that he proposes between Calle 72, Caracas and the first of May up to Carrera 50.

“I have received an invitation from the Chinese government to discuss their works in Colombia and establish the future of our state and social relations,” said Petro.

(Read: Petro will travel to China to look for options for the Bogotá Metro).

Along with this, he assured that the money would come from future vigencies, for 12 million, which remained from the Duque government. “That’s not enough given the jump in the exchange rate. Dialogue between the mayor’s office and the nation is necessary to ensure the continuity of the work“, he pointed out.

Finally, the president said that currently The definitive studies of the elevated metro have not been delivered nor that works are being carried out directly from the Metro.

“In the tender documents for the metro, the draft of the contract presented never forced the elevated metro in its object, the clause was added later, therefore the modification of the contract is absolutely viable, as was done with the El Dorado airport” said the head of state.

(Also: Government vs. Bogotá: projects that would not be financed in the capital).

BRIEFCASE