Vargas Lleras described the reality that Huila is facing in terms of housing, cost of living, unemployment and security as sad, according to him, due to the policies established by the Government of President Gustavo Petro. He predicted that in the next regional elections, Colombians will not forgive the other parties for supporting the National Government.
Newspaper of Huila, Huila
By: Gloria Camargo
As positive, former Vice President Germán Vargas Lleras described the call of businessmen, supporters and candidates for the regional elections who were on the fifth tour, carried out by the Cambio Radical party at the national level and which, on this occasion, took place in the city of Neiva.
During the agenda that Vargas Lleras fulfilled in the capital opita, he held a meeting with several businessmen from different economic sectors, in which, according to the political leader, the greatest feeling was concern regarding the economy, security and unemployment, in sectors such as the agriculture and construction mainly.
He added what will be the position of the Cambio Radical party with respect to the different projects presented by the Government of Gustavo Petro and that they hope to become law.
What is the balance that this raid in Huila leaves you?
That we are the first force in Huila and with the certainty of continuing to grow. Radical Change has been the political force that has served the department the most in these years. This is our fifth congressional tour, probably the most successful, the one with the greatest number of people.
What are the conclusions after the meeting with more than 300 businessmen?
We come from a meeting of businessmen, who, as in the rest of the country, expressed their concerns to us. What a pain to verify the situation in terms of public order, the deterioration that in the south and in the north, is already being noticed. How sad to see how these criminal structures advance. We leave very worried. All the productive sectors of the department expressed to us how they warn of the paralysis in the housing sector, infrastructure, in all aspects.
What are the other concerns of the business community?
Warn how unemployment is growing. Galloping inflation was also mentioned here, the fact that basic necessities are no longer available to Colombian families. Just yesterday they gave us a survey, ordered by Cambio Radical, for the first time in decades, the main concern of the Colombian population is no longer corruption, security, or drug trafficking.
So what did the survey show?
For 60%, Colombians today claim that their main problem is the cost of living, which already exceeds 18%. Second comes unemployment. Today we had the opportunity to share our concerns with businessmen.
What highlight of the Radical Change party in the department?
When we had the opportunity to perform in public service, we brought thousands and thousands of homes from the ‘Mi Casa Ya’ free programs. I personally came to the department dozens of times to verify the joy and satisfaction of many opitas who never dreamed of having their own home, and in the same way we channeled millions and millions of pesos to increase coverage in water services. We transform the infrastructure of the department, because we feel very committed.
What will be the Party’s position regarding the government’s projects?
For example, if this labor reform becomes law, thousands and thousands of jobs will be lost and there will be few solutions for unemployment and informality. We also expressed our position on the health reform: we do not believe in a standardized model, we do not believe that insurance must end. We are very concerned about the end of service delivery networks, no Colombian is going to be satisfied when their right to choose is restricted. It is also very serious that the pension project becomes law.
And the judicial projects?
Here are many of the members of the First Commission of the Chamber, Radical Change will vote no to the project for the humanization of prisons, which stimulates crime, which declassifies behaviors, which increases release. We are also going to strongly oppose the submission project in the terms in which the paper was filed.
What do you think the future of the country will be?
I warn that Cambio Radical is going with the wind in favor of the October elections, we are going to turn these elections into the channel of expression for thousands and thousands of compatriots who will end up supporting us and thus send a message to the government of Gustavo Petro, which does not share the orientation nor the course that the Colombian nation is taking.
What will be next on the Cambio Radical agenda?
We are in Antioquia, where we are going to reconquer vast sectors. The weather couldn’t be more propitious. The following week we will go to Cúcuta and later to Magdalena. We are going to finish a first tour of the national territory, but here we will return to go as many times as necessary to go to the municipalities.
Finally, what do you think of the other parties that are supporting Petro?
There is a job of the benches one does not understand, and I have been warning about it. Parties like the conservatives, the liberals, those of the U, who lent themselves to guarantee the governability of the so-called ‘Change’. How sad, I wish they had said it before the March elections, I wish, we would have seen them accompany Dr. Gustavo Petro in the presidential elections but none of that happened. I predict it: Colombians are not going to forgive them for not reconsidering. How good it would be if that government coalition were to break completely, as happened in Chile.
The thread
1/15 The agenda began in Neiva with a large meeting with more than 350 businessmen and representatives of associations.
2/15 He highlighted that “in each tour the calls with the businessmen are more and more nourished.”
3/15 In Neiva, the representatives of the unions, businessmen and coffee growers expressed enormous concerns with security and public order.
4/15 He pointed out that since the government announced its “Total Peace”, Huila is increasingly cornered by armed groups and criminal organizations, strengthening itself.
5/15 In this department the dissidents of the Farc and Eln exercise territorial control. Extortion, ticketing, threats and murders have increased.
6/15 In the north of Huila there are threats due to the reappearance of the front 53 of the Farc, while, in the west and south, the dissidents make their own in La Plata, La Argentina, Tesalia, Paicol, Nátaga.
7/15 Dissidents and criminal organizations are using Huila as a corridor to get drugs from Cauca and the south of the country to Neiva, Bogotá and the center of the country.
8/15 Businessmen and leaders are very concerned about the drop in construction in Huila. Sales of VIS and non-VIS housing fell by 37.9% in the first semester in this department. Only in March, the contraction was 25%.
9/15 “How sad to see that, in more than five years, social housing programs for the poorest people have disappeared. 14,000 direct jobs and 16,000 indirect jobs depend on this construction sector in Huila”.
10/15 “My call, once again to the government and Minvivienda, is for them not to end the “Mi casa Ya” program and to guarantee its financing. Thousands of families continue to dream of having their own roof”.
11/15 He highlighted that after more than five years, the works of Route 45 are being reactivated, but they require more speed and commitment.
12/15 “How important that the dual carriageways and variants that we contracted years ago could be made and that unite #Huila with the center and south of the country!” Businessmen and unions believe that the government is totally disconnected from this essential work.
13/15 “There is no commitment on the part of the government for the development of other fundamental corridors such as La Plata-Inzá-Totoró-Popayán or Isnos-Paletará-Popayán. There are neither resources nor clear plans”.
14/15 He indicated that Huila requires important investments in tertiary roads, irrigation districts and infrastructure, which are not seen in the government plans.
15/15 “In Huila they are still waiting for the modernization and expansion of the Benito Salas Vargas airport. When I left the Vice Presidency, the studies and the resources remained, but nothing has happened”.