After nearly three decades trying to build Magdalena Medio’s department, President Gustavo Petro’s wink this week revived this old speech: It aims to bring together about 30 municipalities located on the coast of waters, the main tributary of Colombia.
During his visit to San Pablo, President Bolivar assured of the reorganization of the Magdalena Medio district.
“As you all know, it’s easier to get to Barrancabermeja here. more than the capital of the department. The same is true of south of Cesar, south of Magdalene or south of Sucre; The same is true for eastern Antioquia, western Santander and western Boyaca.”
This region is characterized by the fact that the Magdalena River crosses it, which facilitates the connection between the municipalities that make up it. Bolivar, Cesar, Santander, Antioquia, Caldas, Boyacá and Cundinamarca.
Undoubtedly, the support of the manager is essential for the revival of this project, which has not been successful for nearly 30 years. Historian Jaime Silva explains that this issue was first mentioned in 1993 when mayors from southern Magdalena, southern Bolivar and southern Cesar called for the establishment of this department.
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Also, Silva clarifies that this proposal never got bigger and was not introduced as a project in Congress until 2008 (integrating Santander and Antioquia). to consolidate a region to improve the redistribution of income, thereby creating a competent department.
At that time, the governors of Antioquia and Santander opposed the initiative, and finally the proposal did not go to debate at the Congress of the Republic.
“This proposal had political support, but it did not resonate,” explains the expert. It is a region that was articulated by the Magdalena River, united and able to bring about the revival of the river, once similar to the articulated axis of Colombia, the fluvial axis of the country. judgment is harmonious”.
The most recent similar event in Colombia was with the major reform in 1966, when up to four departments were created during the presidency of Guillermo León Valencia.
At that time, through a legislative act, the Purpose of La Guajira was transformed into a department.It was created by the separation of the Quindío and Risaralda da Caldas division.
“Such moves have not been easy because no governor agrees to relinquish part of their land,” Silva said. That’s why these proposals do not yield results, what is going on now that he is the president, yes, calls are made from the executive, this makes a difference,” he said.
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Gustavo Petro, in his speech in San Pablo, assured that the people of this municipality must travel up to eight hours to carry out unfair procedures in the capital.
He also explained that the creation of a department would better express the administrative part.
“And this is how the Police will be organized, the Armed Forces, the National Navy will be organized like this, I hope the prosecutor’s office, the Attorney General’s Office will be organized together with the mayors of this region,” he said. In the future, a new regional entity will emerge, which may be the greater part of Magdalena Medio or part of the Río”.
If this proposal were analyzed only in terms of distances, the geographical need would be undeniable, as many of these municipalities that make up the Magdalena Medio region do not have third-level hospitals.
Just south of Bolivar, due to insufficient attention to the condition of roads and health centres, the community has to travel to Cartagena in search of quality healthcare.
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Mayor of Barrancabermeja Alfonso Eljach Merlanoa municipality that would become the capital of this new department assured that President Petro was not mistaken in the proposal.
“There is an urgent need for more than one million people who are brothers today, who share a centuries-old culture, who have suffered and faced conflict, who are the legitimate spokesmen of the Magdalena River and still wait for their country to resettle them. on the map,” he says. compulsory-. (…) under the value of justice with the region that contributed to the construction of hospitals, roads and schools in the country but received very little in return”.
According to the historian, Barrancabermeja and the royalties from the oil will be the central debate that will stop this proposal, because Santander will not leave this municipality, which, as the president of Barranqueño himself stated, contributed so much to the development of the department. and to the attention of residents of this area.
“It’s not easy at all, but it’s a discussion that has to happen at some point,” the historian explains. Santander will lose stream access (to the Magdalena River) and oil royalties owned by Barrancabermeja; the same Antioquia and Bolivar, which will lose many municipalities. This proposal is not easy and that’s why it was born dead before, but what is different now is that the president said it, so it’s important because it’s part of the regional dialogue that he talks about so much in the campaign.”
Gustavo Medina, mayor of Puerto Berrio, in Antioquiaaccepts limitations in terms of jurisdiction.
“I understand in that sense,” Medina says. But the truth is, we feel like we’re from Antioquia, so we need to upload tables and programs to see what gets fixed and what’s best for everyone.”
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There is still nothing concrete in the proposal. Actually the project needs to be recreated and it will be a long discussion for Colombia to have 33 departments.
According to Law No. 2200, where parameters are defined in case a new department is created, Congress is the body responsible for approving the new regional entity.
What the regulations show is that congressmen must set regional boundaries in this new departmental setup, and a new department can be decided by law.
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The main opponents of this proposal would be the governors of the departments who, if realized, would lose land and income.
The governor of Antioquia, Aníbal Gaviria, was not very supportive.
The head of department stated that he would like to know much better about this proposal before giving a more specific view, but from the outset he was closer to voicing rather than the fragmentation he encouraged. Administrative and Planning Regions (RAPs) are planned with Chocó, Caldas, San Andrés and Córdoba.
“I believe that the chapters that came together at Magdalena Medio should unite to join all of our regions,” Gaviria said. So with all due respect, but to be honest, I would look for another formula to better serve this region, but from the current institutional framework of departments that have tremendous roots in each of their municipalities”.
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Andrés Meza Araujo, the governor in charge of César, said he has made multimillion-dollar investments across the department to support administrative jurisdiction.
While emphasizing that he respects this initiative, Meza Araujo made it clear that the development strategies of this region of the country are implemented in coordination with local mayors, precisely to guarantee departmental management.
In addition, some mayors of the municipalities that will create this new region do not see the President’s proposal well. Jicly Mutis, mayor of Puerto Boyacá in Boyacá, pointed out that although they are seven hours from the capital, it is not a very attractive proposition for him, as there is no clear approach.
“It depends on where you look,” the President scolds. Because that sounds good, but there is no clear approach, and the only one that has seen massive benefits is Barrancabermeja, most of which are category 6 municipalities, so one cannot get out of one issue to get into another.”
MIGUEL ANGEL ESPINOSA BORRERO
Editor TIME
PEOPLE
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