On May 7, the more than 10,000 people living in the Cerro Centinela megatoma in San Antonio, They will define the Directive that the Federation of Cooperatives will lead formed to acquire the land they occupy. The formula, driven by the Ministry of Housing (MINVU)seeks to formalize the representation of the inhabitants before the owners of the land, Ricardo Posada and Esteban Solari, partners of the San Antonio real estateto incorporate the settlers to the negotiations that are already two months.
The latter – however – are far from advancing and even some of their participants indicate them in “deadlock”.
As he could see The thirdthey exist Two knots that keep the treatment in suspense. One of them is The price of the landa discussion that was expected complex, since the MINVU tasted the ground at 0.58 UF per square meter, while the owners demanded 0.69 UF.
The difference It has been considered unacceptable by the Executiveand although the current amounts have not been informed, the positions remain very distant, according to sources linked to the subject.
The election of the Directive of the Federation of Cooperatives – so much – will mean new tensions to negotiations. And is that land owners refuse to incorporate cooperatives of inhabitants of the take as a formal part of the negotiating table, according to those who are aware of the conversations.
In practice, The position leaves the inhabitants without representation that have been organized and that they have already begun to define the monthly quotas, that they are The 100 thousand pesos per familyto gather the necessary funds to acquire the land of 260 hectares.
One of the spokespersons of the settlers, Karina Ayala, says that “the negotiating table is having three legs and we lack, if we are not participants in conversations That becomes a problem. ”
The scenario is complex, because the deadline is narrow. If there is no agreement before the end of August, the eviction order issued by the Valparaíso Appeals Courtwhich managed to postpone by a previous agreement. The concern is growing, since a humanitarian crisis is feared in the region if more than 3,700 families are evicted.
Treative hermeticism
Until now the meetings between the MINVU and the representatives of the owners are held in complete stretus, after two weeks ago A confidentiality agreement will be signed Among the parties.
The negotiator group is composed of the ministerial delegate for the megatoma of San Antonio, Gloria Mairawho leads the government technical team, accompanied by Two Minvu lawyers. The counterpart, meanwhile, is made up of the lawyer Diego Pereira-Fonfach, another lawyer and an economist.
In parallel, Maira is in charge of sustaining Weekly meetings with the leaders of the shot, but without delivering more details about the course of the land negotiations.
The Housing Minister Carlos Montes, who was key to open the negotiation in March, It has taken distance from the process.
The slowness of the treatment has put at risk – according to participants – the possibility of getting to fruition Before August, when the judicial term expires. The court ruling establishes a “reasoned and gradual” eviction if a negotiated exit is not achieved.
In these weeks the conviction of the authorities has also been strengthened that the owners of the land are interested in stretching the negotiation to reach the next government, seeking a more flexible authority or more advantageous conditions to sell.
In the MINVU it is settled that There will be no expropriation of the land and that there is also no availability to directly acquire the cloth as they have proposed from entrepreneurs. The official line remains that it is cooperatives that collectively buy the land, with technical support.
Until now, according to the Ministry, 40 cooperatives have been formalized, which group a total of 3,718 Families of the camp. Some have even been registered in the Official Gazette, which allows progress in the acquisition process.
However, At least 418 families They have not yet entered any cooperative, either due to distrust, ignorance or administrative difficulties. That gap worries, since the collective purchase model advances in parallel to negotiation with entrepreneurs.
And plan B?
If the negotiation does not prosper, the scenario is again marked by a current eviction order.
From the Regional Presidential Delegation of Valparaíso They affirm that “as a government we hope that an agreement can be reached in this matter, since it represents an innovative, unprecedented solution.”
However, given the possibility that a solution is not agreed, in the aforementioned delegation they point out that “as previously sustained, will be seen for respect for judicial sentencesReturning to the intersectoral coordination table regarding eviction, calling the municipality and competent portfolios, to avoid the extension of the illegal occupation, as the court mandates ”.
The eventual eviction -which would imply the withdrawal of more than 10,000 people – It has been a matter of concern in the government’s political committeeespecially because of the humanitarian magnitude that could trigger in the region of Valparaíso.
From inside the shot, some leaders say they are preparing for all scenarios. “We are prepared for any situation. Faced with this, We will not lower our guard “says Ayala. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Riveraleader of the first cooperative formed in the hill, argues that “We would continue in the legal field to dismiss the eviction order”which is dated by the end of August.
