The UDI councilor for Maipú, Horacio Saavedra attended the program Everything will be fine, hosted by Eduardo de la Iglesia. The former Director of the Viña del Mar Festival orchestra referred to former mayor Cathy Barriga.
During her period as mayor of Maipú, Saavedra was one of the most loyal councilors, frequently voting in favor of Barriga on the municipal council.
Currently, under the administration of Tomás Vodanovic, Saavedra is still a councilor, since he was re-elected.
Accompanied by a mini ping pong table, de la Iglesia asked him to refer to Barriga. “A good woman”, he said briefly. The counter question allowed him to elaborate. And a good mayor?
First person of this ping-pong, this mini ping-pong. Katy Barriga. A good woman. A good woman. And a good mayor? the driver asked.
Saavedra did not mince words: “I do not think so. I don’t think she’s ready for that. You have to be a politician and have pig skin and know the business. And it is very complicated to manage a municipality and a commune as large as Maipú. It is the second largest commune in the country. With big problems. Like Vodanovic has them now, who is doing very well. But I think she didn’t know how to handle that. “She is not a politician.”said the musician.
De La Iglesia asked him about the people of Maipú, who at the time gave him their vote as he was a beloved figure. Was that enough? the driver asked. «I believe that one of her big mistakes was the important rotation of executives. No municipality that wants to do a job well can have two or three comptrollers or administrators or directors in a month. And she handled it badly. Now, I’m not saying she stole anything. But she didn’t care.”held.
He defended Cathy Barriga: «I don’t think she ever stole anything.«
After acknowledging that she was not a good mayor, Saavedra outlined a theory to explain the 31 billion deficit that – two days ago – Mayor Vodanovic announced that the bills had been paid.
In Saavedra’s opinion «The first thing a mayor has to do, from what I have learned, is to do an audit of what he received before. And this debt, half of it must be carryover. And all municipalities have it and do it that way. And she didn’t do it.” he explained.
Regarding the criticism that weighs on Barriga for the purchases of stuffed animals and the showbiz tone of the municipal management of the former Mayor, he maintained that «They have made a lot of show with showbiz, stuffed animals and all that stupidity. Because all municipalities have a budget for this type of gifts. I don’t think she ever stole anything. That she has spent money on other things, it may be. But that will be decided in the end by justice.”he clarified.
Horacio Saavedra on Tomás Vodanovic: “I think he has no competition today in Maipú”
After talking about Barriga, the next name they put on the table was that of the current mayor, Tomás Vodanovic. “Master Horacio Saavedra” was full of praise.
«I have to admit that, in a noble sense, where he speaks about me, he speaks very well. And very well, when they tell him that he is going to compete with me in a mayoralty that is very far from the truth, he says that it would be an honor for him. And I have a lot of respect for him because he is a very polite guy, very respectful, he is doing a good job, I think he has no competition today in Maipú »he said, ruling out himself as a candidate for mayor of the sector.
De la Iglesia asked him if he considered him a much better mayor than Barriga. «Obviously, if he is prepared for this. He is a political animal and he handles himself very well and is very respectful, as I tell you, and prepared. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see him much later as president.”he predicted.
Saavedra explained that in politics there is a «Lack of new leaders and new people are needed. They discredit politics so much with all the same old people whenever I include myself, but I do not consider myself a politician, that a renewal is needed.
The host of the program ventured to ask the UDI councilor if he would vote for Vodanovic for president of the republic. «Yes I would vote for him. “I vote for people, I’m not interested in parties.”said.
Here you can see the program
Maybe you are interested in reading: We interview the designer of Renecín’s stuffed animal
 assured that Cathy Barriga did not do well and that he would vote for Vodanovic for President » La Voz de Maipú){kind=link}