The construction of the second line of the Bogotá Metro, a key project for the mobility of the Colombian capital, faces uncertainties due to possible changes in the US financial support to the Inter -American development bank (IDB).
The entity approved a loan exceeding 400 million dollars for this work, but recent statements by Mauricio Claver-Carone former president of the entity and Special Envoy of the Donald Trump government for Latin America, generated concern about the future of this financing.
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During a conference at Dade College University, Claver-Carone said that LTrump administration was reviewing the credits approved by the IDB, specifically questioning the support for projects such as the Bogotá Metro, in which Chinese companies participate.
It is important to mention that, the IDB, the main financier of the Second Metro line, has the United States as its largest shareholder among non -lending countries, with 30% of the votes in the Assembly of Governors and the Executive Board.
From the perspective of experts, project financing could be at risk. José Stalin Rojas, director of the Mobility Observatory of the National University, in an interview with Week He suggested that the district should explore alternative sources of financing in case they arise unforeseen. Rojas also warned that the relations between the government of Gustavo Petro and the US administration could influence the development of the project.
In contrast, Darío Hidalgo, professor at the Javeriana University and mobility specialist, said that the work should not be affected, because the resources for the work are already insured not only by the IDB, but also by the European Investment Bank and the World Bank. Hidalgo explained that IDB member countries do not have the ability to veto already approved projects, even if they involve Chinese companies.
“In general, countries do not have the ability to veto projects related to IDB financing, especially when it comes to initiatives already approved, to which any member country can access, even if they have financing from the Development Bank, ”he said in an interview with eThe same medium.
Despite these guarantees, tensions between the United States and China have influenced the project tender process. The entity disqualified two of the four Chinese proponents in 2024 due to conflicts of interest. Apca 1 and Apca 2 firms, both linked to the Chinese company Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC), were eliminated from the process for benefiting each other, which violated the IDB Acquisitions Manual. Currently, there are only two companies in the dispute for the contract: one China and another Spanish.
In this regard, Carlos Fernando Galán, mayor of Bogotá, said that the financial support of the IDB is still firm and that other banking entities, such as CAF, are also committed to the project.
From the Metro de Bogotá (EMB) and the Ministry of Mobility, it has been avoided to speculate on the impact of the United States decisions on metro financing. However, the IDB and the EMB have made it clear that any change in the Bank’s operation Rules could affect the work, since the financing conditions are subject to the regulations of the financial organization.
In short, the stability of relations between the United States and Colombia will be crucial to guarantee the progress of the project. Although the United States could cease to be a country contributing to the IDB in the future, another 48 member countries, including China, have the ability to capitalize on the bank and maintain their financial operation.
The final decision on the tender, scheduled by the end of 2025, will be decisive for the future of the Bogotá Metro. Meanwhile, the city faces the challenge of advancing in this strategic project in the midst of an uncertain political and financial landscape.
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