The Western Central Metropolitan Area (Amco) organized a conversation with Juan Daniel Oviedo, councilor of Bogotá and former director of Dane, to discuss the weaknesses and challenges of urbanization and metropolization that metropolitan areas face, including informality and polarization in Risaralda.
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During the event, which took place in the city of Pereira, Juan Daniel Oviedo shared his perspective on several critical issues affecting Colombia’s metropolitan areas, especially Risaralda and its capital. According to Oviedo, although Risaralda is positioned as the second department with the lowest poverty rate in Colombia, surpassed only by Bogotá, the region still faces significant challenges related to perceived poverty and labor informality.
Claudia Patricia Cárdenas, director of Amco, stressed the importance of these public forums to better understand the urban and social dynamics of the country. She highlighted how Oviedo’s statistics and analysis during her tenure at Dane have helped illuminate both strengths and areas of improvement for Colombia.
Polarization and Community Disinterest: Barriers to Progress in the face of weaknesses
Oviedo expressed concern about the lack of cooperation among the citizens of Risaralda, which contributes to growing polarization in the department. He stressed that this is not only a political or leadership problem, but a question of mentality that the inhabitants themselves need to change. According to him, many settle for informal and precarious jobs, which perpetuates economic and social stagnation.
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In his presentation, Oviedo emphasized the need to transform thinking around employment and community collaboration. He pointed to the importance of Amco’s work in improving informality in public passenger transport, highlighting this as an example of how metropolitan entities can play a crucial role in overcoming urban challenges.
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