The CCI’s clarification: ‘The 4G roads are not from Antioquia, they are from the country’

The Fourth Generation (4G) roads of Antioquia and its surroundings have been in the eye of the hurricane in recent months, in which President Gustavo Petro has stated that they are avenues for ‘the richest’ in the country. In this regard, Portafolio consulted the infrastructure sector and some concessions that connect this region, and everyone assured that these roads not only connect the country, but rather they generate development, competitiveness and allow all Colombians to be supplied.

According to Juan Martín Caicedo, president of the Colombian Chamber of Infrastructure (CCI), In 30 years, these routes have allowed us to overcome the 100-year delay in this matter. Furthermore, due to its benefits, it allows communities to unite, provide them with spaces to develop their economy and enhance the country’s competitiveness from the ports.

(See: Unions propose reversing the 150% increase in the Road Safety Fund surcharge).

“These roads have a country purpose. We are connecting the Pacific coast with the Caribbean coast, that demystifies the argument that these routes (Pacific 1, 2 and 3) They are for Antioquia, no, they are for the country. Without these three ways, that connection would be impossible,” Caicedo said in this regard.

For this reason, it recommends to the President, as on repeated occasions, to analyze and study the progress of this model, its contribution to the country and the communities.

“The model ran from Pastrana, until the two terms of former President Santos, who started the model, and former President Iván Duque, who continued it. I think that what we have to respectfully recommend to the Government is that it listen to the advice of Lula – president of Brazil – who represents a left-wing regime, be pragmatic, if we put a lot of ideology into this context we are going to leave aside a revolution that we did on roads“explained the union leader.

(See: Autopistas del Caribe does not renounce the Private Initiative project).

He assures that this scheme has allowed private companies, and the roads they are in charge of, to be an international benchmark. Likewise, he asserts that through this copy The works are completed, maintained and operated, unlike projects built through public works.

“Let’s see what happened when a road passed into the hands of the Invías, (Ruta al Sol 2) in which the road was practically dismantled, it was almost finished.“, said.

This premise is shared by the transported sector headed by Nidia Hernández, president of Colfecar, who attests to the progress of the logistics sector thanks to them.

(See: This is, for Petro, the problem that most 4G road works in the country have).

“The roads are not ‘for the rich’. The roads not only generate well-being for those regions where the road is laid out, but also for the country. We need more competitiveness, and to generate it we need projects that give us more efficiencies in costs, times and the well-being of drivers.“said Nidia Hernández, executive president of Colfecar.

And he adds: “People forget what the roads were like before, where, for example, before the turning circles were very complicated and a truck had to stop for another to pass, it was very inefficient. Today these types of roads are more efficient, they allow turning radii, everything. We as transporters do not only go through one department, we go through several, that is why it not only benefits some, that cannot be ignored.”.

Follown Santiago Pérez, manager of the Pacífico 3 concession, the section in his charge passes through 19 municipalities, the majority are of the sixth category, that thanks to this route they have been able to have more opportunities to grow.

“We work with simple and humble people. The people who use our roads are not only transporters and travelers, they are farmers, merchants, tour operators, children who go to school, rural doctors, etc. More than 20,000 vehicles pass through every day, they are for everyone. Today the greatest need of municipalities is how they connect their secondary and tertiary network with Pacífico 3, the main avenue”he explained.

Mauricio Millán manager of Covipacífico (Pacific 1) Share your vision. He explains that “4G is for all those who want to use it, especially for those who are around them.” In turn, he recognizes that this corridor allows products from western Colombia to reach their destination.

(See: What experts say that refute thesis of Petro’s 4G routes).

In the case of Pacífico 2, they have 23 municipalities around them that “are villages, families who all their lives dreamed of a highway to sell their goods and services. Without these roads all these municipalities could never be developed,” he responded. Gustavo Bernal, manager of La Pintada (Pacific 2).

He concludes by mentioning: “These roads belong to the country, without them, and without this corridor the country could never be competitive. A businessman in the northern part of the country will never have access to the ports of Buenaventura, which is the connection with Asia. The same thing happens from the south, they would never be able to reach the Caribbean without these roads. They are not roads from Antioquia, they pass through Antioquia, very different”.

PAULA GALEANO BALAGUERA
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