Congressman Cristian Garcés criticized authorities' inaction on recent land invasions in north Cali's hills, in areas like Chipichape and Golondrinas. He accused mafias possibly linked to organized crime and pointed to institutional failures, including potential corruption cases. He called for coordinated intervention by multiple agencies to halt the issue.
Last week, a new land invasion attempt occurred in north Cali's hills, in Chipichape and Golondrinas, adding to two prior cases in less than a month in the same area, according to Congressman Cristian Garcés' denunciation. He questioned institutional order deterioration and stated: “La anarquía y la falta de autoridad histórica que ha tenido Cali está limitando su futuro” and “Las invasiones no permiten un desarrollo ordenado y, además, destruyen nuestro medio ambiente” (Garcés). He demanded action from Cali's Mayor's Office, Security Secretariat, Municipal Planning, notaries, urban curatorships, courts, and National Police, criticizing that police sometimes fail to respond to citizen calls and inaction is justified because they are private properties. Garcés warned of citizen reports of public officials involved in corruption favoring invaders in the district administration, notaries, and courts, and of powerful mafias possibly linked to criminal leaders controlling drug trafficking, microtrafficking, hitmen, drop-by-drop loans, and illegal mining. Owners face threats and are left unprotected, he said: “No puede ser que un ciudadano común queda desprotegido, amenazado y sin ninguna posibilidad de proteger su propiedad privada porque las autoridades competentes no están cumpliendo su labor” (Garcés). Authorities have legal tools to intervene in stages like violent takeover, illegal parceling, fraudulent sales, and judicial legalization, but do not act. He highlighted environmental damage in areas like upper Chipichape, Menga, Golondrinas, La Paz, and Tres Cruces. He proposed the new Territorial Ordering Plan (POT) as a solution for planned urbanization, and called on councilors, representatives, Notary and Registry Superintendency, and judiciary to investigate.
