In the middle of ‘The regions propose’ forumwithin the framework of the summit of the National Federation of Departmentsthe fourth to speak about their proposals was presidential candidate Claudia López.
“I know the excess of presidential centralism that neither does nor allows to be done“, expressed the former mayor. The presidential candidate Claudia López proposed to the governors a new regional decentralization, with greater collection capacity, execution of projects from the territories and a development fund for 50 subregions.
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During his speech, he spoke of the 1991 Constitutionwhich he indicated that he defends, and maintained that she opted for a municipal centralization. He indicated that at that time the intermediate levelwell there are no specifically resources or competencies for this one.
He pointed out that that division into municipalities has contributed to reduce povertythe insecurity and has led the country to progress. However, he warned: “The municipal decentralization reached its ceiling (…) it was very useful to some 150 municipalities in Colombia, mainly those of metropolitan areas”.
Claudia López talks about her proposal to articulate the Nation and the regions. Photo:Sergio Acero Yate
However, López said that about 500 municipalities decentralization did not help them. “Having sent political, fiscal powerto centers where we had no control ended up empowering a political-criminal alliance in the territories.”
In that sense, he proposed that it be built own collection capacity in the territorywhile the national government meets security, justice, public services, health and education.
For López, a regional decentralization. In that sense, consider that certain municipalities group together without this implying cutting mayors, but rather generating certain metropolitan areas so that, together with the governor, the priorities according to the regions.
“I invite you to think more than with the historywith the economyto work together,” he indicated. He also noted that regional priorities must be in strategic infrastructure and in regional economic development.
He added that it is necessary decentralize national planningin order that the mayors and governors make the projects viable who are going to receive investment. Furthermore, he said that there should be a regional development fund of 50 subregions.
“There is no need to have people sitting in Bogotá“he indicated. He noted that it would be necessary budget with a development fund more than from the ministries.
López also spoke of the participatory budgets. “That the citizens vote which projects go to execution and projects in prefeasibility move to structuring to the extent of the amount that was approved.”
He said that, from then on, the most convenient form of execution for each project approved by the people.
He ended up launching an alert for the country risk rating downgrade on the part of international rating agencies. He pointed out that, for resources, it is necessary remove the inflexibility of the general participation system: “We do not want percentages that do not allow money to pass from one place to another”, he indicated.
Royalties and planning from the regions
Claudia López talks about her proposal to articulate the Nation and the regions. Photo:Sergio Acero Yate
In the second phase of the forumLópez pointed out that the need for centralize royalties in it National Planning Department term generating corruption.
He assured that Colombia suffers from a triple centralization: the presidentialthe departmentalwhich focuses on metropolitan areasand the municipalwhich works more on the urban area and town center.
To the question of Juan Lozano, from La FMabout the royaltiesLópez pointed out that the regionalized investment on the points noted above.
He explained that the royalties are used for many types of projectsbut noted that they should be used only for five types. “One has to remove congressmen from party intermediation”, he added as a way of stop corruption.
The director of the School of Government of the University of La Sabana, Maria Carmelina Londoñoasked him about starting a system that allows concerted decision making at different levels.
To this, López responded that will sit with each governor and will decide if necessary reorganize the subregions that each of the departments has.
“In the metropolitan areasthere structurethere they execute”he said, because they have a project structuring team.
He added that it is necessary presence in the regions outside metropolitan areas. “Who isn’t going to like the system? The ministers; the ministries are a disaster to run in the territory. The mayoralties, governorships, the regional development fund what I propose will be infinitely better”.
He said that the ministers will seek to coordinate with the private sector for megaprojects like that of energy transition in the Caribbean or the agroindustrial development in the Orinoquíaas well as long term concessions.
In it environmental issueLópez indicated that he will seek to make a tax reform to lower taxes and that the taxes of local origin have a distributed collection between the central and territorial administrations.
He also pointed out that in the reserve areas is going to raise livestock.
Finally, he referred to the difficulty for Colombia to receive resources again that he received during Colombia Planso it must look for an alternative from the country.
“If you tell people do not plant coca but cocoamust have a guaranteed purchase price”he said, along with more Public Forceas a way of stop crime in the territories.
Claudia Lopez He ended by saying that it represents a progressive optionwho understands the regional autonomybut “not to the crazy one”.
Paula Valentina Rodríguez
Political Writing
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FND Summit: ‘The regions propose’. Photo:
