2024-03-29 04:39:04
The Secretary of the Treasury of Antioquia, Eugenio Prieto, announced that a verification of the origin of the funds collected through the ‘cow’ initiative, destined for infrastructure projects in the department, will be carried out. This decision comes amid concerns about possible risks associated with contributions.
Prieto reported that during the first 24 hours of collection, $700 million was raised, and in just 48 hours, the figure exceeded $1.24 billion. However, the established goal is to reach $1 billion in total.
The funds raised will be used to finance road projects, especially the 4G roads that will connect the Pacific with the Atlantic, including the Via al Mar and the Toyo Tunnel, for which at least an additional $650,000 million are required.
President Gustavo Petro has expressed his skepticism towards the ‘cow’ initiative, calling it “unnecessary.” Instead, he proposed implementing with the national government the collection of valuation for works already carried out, allocating a percentage of that valuation to the roads of Antioquia.
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However, concerns about the risks associated with contributions have been a source of debate. President Petro asked the Governor of Antioquia, Andrés Julián Rendón, to suspend the contributions, warning about the possibility of infiltration of money from drug trafficking. This relates to reports indicating alleged contributions from the Gulf Clan, who may have used pamphlets to communicate their contributions.
Governor Rendón has assured that rigorous controls will be implemented to guarantee transparency in the process. However, some question the viability and security of the fundraising method.
The representative to the Chamber, David Alejandro Toro, has highlighted that the ‘cow’ could be legally unfeasible and dangerous, suggesting alternatives such as handing over the collection of the toll to the Government or an extra payment for valuation to the largest beneficiaries.
Given these concerns, Treasury Secretary Prieto has assured that exhaustive audits will be carried out and that any questionable donations will be immediately separated and forwarded to the competent authorities. The verification process is expected to guarantee the transparency and legality of the funds collected for the Antioquia ‘cow’.
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