The former vice president and former Minister of Housing, Germán Vargas Lleras, revived this Sunday the conversation about the challenges facing the execution of infrastructure works in Colombia and referred to the so-called 'cow' of Antioquia, in his most recent column for EL TIEMPO .
(Read: Up to $1.2 million the Bogotá Mayor's Office will impose a fine on those who waste water).
“The debate on health and the nationalization of the service, the possibility of a blackout in the country due to the irresponsibility of the Government and the announcements of citizen calls around a constituent assembly, to just cite some recent issues, have made the riots lose sight of statements by President Petro regarding infrastructure works for Antioquia”, wrote Vargas Lleras.
The former minister questioned the Government's execution in works and delivery of resources and compared them with the management of previous administrations such as those of Santos and Duque.
(See: Antioquia changes method to collect money for 4G roads: this is how the 'cow' will operate now).
“It is worth remembering that in August 2018 the Santos government delivered to the Duque government 7 public and two private concessions for Antioquia that were contracted and in execution. To highlight Mar 1 and Mar 2, which connect Medellín with Urabá Antioquia, which includes the now most famous Toyo tunnel and the three Pacific projects, which connect Medellín with La Virginia. Specifically, Antioquia resolved its exit to the sea, to Magdalena Medio, to the southwest and to the north towards the Caribbean coast. These investments by 2023. They add up to 32 billion pesos (…) Between the years 2017 and 2023, the National Government already paid payments worth $8.04 billion, and between 2024 and 2040 it is contractually obliged to disburse a value of $29.18 billion”indicated Germán Vargas Lleras.
At the same time, he said that these payments for the execution of works “are a contractual obligation under the responsibility of the ANI and can only be modified by mutual agreement, through an agreement duly signed with the concessionaire, prior approval of the Ministries of Transportation and Finance, and Conpes and Confis, and not through a speech in a public square”.
Bogotá Metro Works
Mayor's Office of Bogotá
He added that “in the event of non-compliance by the State, these projects would be paralyzed, seriously affecting the service to users, putting at risk the investments already executed and generating demands to the ANI in an amount that could exceed $30 billion and, also very serious, “the completion of the remaining highways would be compromised, in addition to affecting the country's credit rating, with all its consequences in terms of the cost of borrowing, nothing less than a 'default'.”.
(Also: Gustavo Bolívar: 'we have seen that transfers do not lift people out of poverty').
Regarding the 'cow', former vice president Vargas Lleras mentioned “beyond the resources collected, which amount to 3,632 million, contributed by 11,592 Colombians, the cow has unleashed the wrath of Petro, who, in addition to attacking the governor himself, now directs his darts against a group of congressmen who dared to donate resources to the cause. The plaintiff, concerned, has requested the loss of investiture of a good part of the Antioquia bench, accusing them of having violated the regime of disqualifications and incompatibilities. The Council of State will have to rule on this picturesque demand, whose true nature. seriousness is none other than its very probable origin in the Government itself”.
Finally he said that at the rate we are going, “The most likely thing is that the mayor of Bogotá will have to start his own project for the metro (I will be the first to contribute), or the leaders of Cauca and Nariño to build the Pasto-Popayán highway, or those of Orinoquía, for the via Villavicencio-Puerto Carreño and many others now classified by Petro as works for the rich..
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