Former President Iván Duque Criticizes President Petro’s Proposal to Nationalize Road to Llano
Former President of Colombia, Iván Duque, has voiced his opposition to President Gustavo Petro’s proposal to nationalize the road to Llano. Duque argued that nationalizing a highway under concession is an expropriation of a contract and likened it to a “Chávez-style attack.” He expressed concern that this move would generate mistrust and economic uncertainty.
Duque went on to defend the road concession models and emphasized the importance of tolls in covering maintenance, operation, and investment costs. He criticized Petro for viewing tolls as a potential “government ATM” and disregarding the success of the current model.
In response to Duque’s statement, President Petro rejected the idea that the road would be expropriated, emphasizing that contracts are negotiated rather than expropriated. He dismissed Duque’s stance and emphasized the need for negotiations.
Former Minister of the Interior, Daniel Palacios, also joined the debate, accusing Petro of contradicting himself regarding the idea of nationalizing the road. Palacios argued that the proposal is, in fact, a forced acquisition of a private asset.
President Petro, speaking from Villavicencio, acknowledged that nationalization is a possibility but stressed the necessity of negotiations for its implementation. He cited financial difficulties in attending to emergency situations on critical points of the road, which are currently not covered by the concession.
The issue of resources to address emergencies was described by Petro as a serious structural problem of the project’s finances.
This ongoing exchange highlights the differing viewpoints surrounding the nationalization proposal, with Duque and his supporters expressing concerns about potential negative economic consequences, while Petro and his proponents argue for the necessity of negotiations to address financial and infrastructural challenges.