The Third Commission on Environmental Affairs and Human Rights of the Yopal Municipal Council, made up of six corporators, held a decentralized session in the Alameda Marta Mojica project. Although only three councilors attended, the meeting was held successfully, fulfilling the commitment made to the community during a previous plenary session.
The session, requested by Councilor Dumar Montaña, which had been unexpectedly rescheduled by the council board; and that, despite the heavy morning rain, there was a massive attendance of project beneficiaries, who organizedly presented the progress and problems they face.
Attendees expected the presence of all the councilors to achieve a consensus that would speed up the deed process. This procedure is crucial to access more than 2,500 subsidies, approved by the Ministry of Housing in the development plan of Gustavo Petro’s government and which are at risk of being lost if the deeds of the lots are not obtained.
The success of the meeting chaired by councilors Felipe Becerra, Dumar Montaña and Ociel Ortiz, generated discomfort among the absent councilors, especially after criticism from some community leaders and beneficiaries who questioned the lack of knowledge of certain councilors about the project.
As a result, an extraordinary session of the Council was called that same night. During this meeting, an altercation occurred between the corporations, highlighting the comment of Councilor Cristóbal Torres, who referred to the beneficiaries of the housing project as “gamines” in response to complaints on social networks.
The broadcast carried out by CasanareOnline, the only media present at the event, showed that the absent councilors took careful note of what happened. Subsequently, they began to organize meetings and convene officials to address the points requested by the community, in an apparent attempt to take credit for said efforts.
Councilor Torres announced an exhaustive review of the more than 2,500 beneficiary folders, which has generated discontent among families. They do not oppose the review, but consider that it could be a tactic to delay the deed process.
On the other hand, Hernando Villalobos, beneficiary of another subdivision project, expressed his concern about the delay in the review of 170 folders of his project; Well, the response he received from the director of INDEV is that it would take him a year to review these folders; Therefore, he questioned the feasibility of reviewing 2,500 folders in the remaining time of the current administration’s government.
The truth is that, despite the fact that the councilors wanted to reduce the pressure of public opinion, calling this session at night; The fact of attacking the councilors who did attend and not allowing them the right to reply, revealed the shameful desperation of the councilors to conceal the obvious negligence and repudiation they have for the project and the only thing that could be seen was the political opportunism of trying of victimizing themselves and making the councilors who did do the job for which they were elected look like villains.
The community wonders, with what attitude will the councilors arrive at the decentralized session, summoned based on the initial request made by councilor Dumar Montaña and who take this initiative as their own? Will they arrive divided? Will they have the honor to ask Apologies to the community for the statements against the project? Will everyone arrive, or will there be excuses for not facing the beneficiaries, fearing being publicly recriminated for their actions?
