Today, May 15, is the first time in 31 years that Guayaquil has a mayor from a political organization other than the Social Christian Party. During this period, the model of government and public management was consolidated, which then brought order to the reigning chaos and modernized the city, gradually supplying it with infrastructure, goods and public services. However, this phase of Guayaquil’s development has shown its political limitations and social inequalities, maintaining zones of exclusion, poverty and violence where progress has not arrived. This situation of injustice, added to other current problems in recent years, was the trigger for the people of Guayaquil to vote for a change of course.

https://www.eluniverso.com/guayaquil/comunidad/aquiles-alvarez-usara-escritorio-que-era-de-leon-febres-cordero-y-recuperara-cuadros-historicos-que-se-habian-retirado- Note/

Now the new mayor, Aquiles Álvarez, must meet those popular expectations that come along with the new challenges that Guayaquil faces in the future. For this, the first step that needs to be taken in order to show a real change in the way politics is conducted is to conduct a participatory planning process. In the rest of 2023, he has enough time to convene citizens, social organizations, the academic community and trade unions in order to start the exercise of discussing, defining, prioritizing and operationalizing his plan, as well as the municipal budget. Through this process, his administration would be more aligned with the needs and expectations of the citizens and would gain democratic legitimacy.

Certainly, the public problem that you must pay the most attention to in the first two years is violence. For this, it is necessary to learn from foreign experiences such as Medellín and Iztapalapa, where the model of social urbanism and urban acupuncture was followed for the recovery of public spaces in the most remote areas. On the other hand, another public problem that will have to be solved in the medium term is related to water: lack of drinking water and sewage; and excess water management for flood control. These problems require greater public investment in infrastructure that must be planned and implemented on a multi-year basis.

Photos of Aquiles Álvarez assuming the post that the Social Christians held for 31 years

Although it is likely that as a new mayor you will be tempted to start from scratch and change all the policies of the Municipality, it is important to use certain experience and the path traveled. For example, it is necessary to preserve the best of different land use and management plans; Land development and planning; Sustainable urban mobility. Likewise, proposals for the reform of the Ordinance on citizen participation; Historical and cultural heritage; Adaptation to climate change presented in different collective and civic spaces.

For all these proposals to be successful, they must be confirmed with citizens and social organizations in a broad process of participatory planning during this year 2023 and within the framework of the open government management model. Only in this way can it be guaranteed that Achilles will not be hit by an early political arrow in his heel, when he takes his seat and begins the battle to change course in Guayaquil.. (OR)