The ‘rifirrafe’ between Petro and Galán for postponement of resources for the subway

The announcement of National Government to postpone 12 billion pesos of General Budget of this year Keep giving what to talk about, after the warnings made by different regional leaders in this regard.

One of the voices that have resonated the most was that of Mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galánwho assured that this determination of the national government endangers the financing of works of utmost importance for the capital of the country, such as the first line of the Bogotá Metro or the Transmilenio Truncal on 13th Street.

(You can read: Galán responded to Petro for postponement of money for the Bogotá Metro).

Galán said in a speech last Sunday that this postponement, which compromises 700,000 million pesos for works of the first line of the subwaywas done without warning, also affecting the contractual commitments that the district and the government agreed for project financing.

“The National Government’s commitment to the Metro arises from a contract signed in 2017, therefore, it did not arise in 2024, nor can it depend on a 2024 financing law“Galán said.

Who is right?

This Wednesday, in your X account, the President Gustavo Petro He assured that he had spoken personally with Galán about the budget postponement, “Given the refusal of the economic commissions in financing the budget of the year 2025“

(Also read: CNE says that budget postponement puts at risk 2026 elections).

“I explained that in the case of the Bogotá Metro we are simply complying with the agreement signed between Santos and Peñalosa. Not one more word or a word less“Petro said. This, in fact, was reaffirmed by the Minister of Transportation, María Fernanda Rojas, in an interview for ‘Blu Radio’.

He also added that “If the Congress does not approve the tax reform that will be presented to them, these items may not be financed and will pass the postponement to the cut“

The mayor of Bogotá, as a response, admitted that the district was informed about the budgetary situation, stating that “We had several meetings in which we were looking for formulas that would work for both parties“. Nevertheless, said that an agreement on the postponement would not have been reached.

(Further: Bogotá councilor denounced the Minhacienda for budget postponement for this year).

“The expedition of that decree was not informed to us and we learned its content by means of communication“, said.

Already mentioning the Mintranport, Galán said: “It is not as simple as ‘choosing priorities’. We are talking about a contract that, as you know, is law for the parties. Coping these resources unilaterally would constitute, to materialize, a breach of the contract“

The mayor of Bogotá closed saying that strategic projects, such as the Metro, “It cannot depend on the will or the circumstances that a government in front of a conjunctural manner, but on the respect of all governments of the commitments assumed by the State“

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