The Quito Security and Coexistence Plan was approved by the Council

After two years of elaboration and modifications, the Metropolitan Council of Quito approved the Citizen Security and Coexistence Plan 2021-2015, with 14 votes in favor, 0 against and 4 abstentions.

The Council session took place on the afternoon of October 21. The Secretary of Security, Daniela Valarezo, He presented part of the content of the Plan, as well as the observations made by the councilors.

The proposal approved by the building body has five strategic objectives:

• Eradicate gender violence against women, girls, boys and adolescents, in all types of public transport in the Metropolitan District.
• Implement a comprehensive citizen security system for the management of public space, through social prevention, through the articulation of the different municipal entities and the central government, with the participation of the community.
• Improve institutional trust in the institutions of citizen security and justice that operate in the city, through a sustainable inter-institutional articulation, for participation in strategic actions based on evidence, in the face of multidimensional threats such as pandemics or natural disasters, with accountability and transparency.
• Develop a peace culture, through community training and the expansion of the coverage of the municipal systems of attention and prevention of conflict.
• Efficiently manage anthropic risks, due to environmental pollution and human mobility, with a focus on inclusivity, resilience and sustainability.

Mayor of Quito, Santiago Guarderas restructured the authorities in 22 commissions of the Metropolitan Council

The plan received both criticism and praise from councilors. Among those who questioned it were Soledad Benítez, Paulina Izurieta, Marco Collaguazo, Luis Reina and Luis Robles. The main observation of these councilors was that, in their opinion, although the document provides a diagnosis of the current situation in the city, it does not contain specific actions to intervene and solve the problems; The financial resources that will be needed are not detailed either.

“This is a study, not a plan (….) Where is the budget? What are you going to invest in? It was one of Izurieta’s comments, who marked his vote as abstention.

On the other hand, Omar Cevallos, Eduardo del Pozo, Analía Ledesma, Mónica Sandoval and Gissela Chalá were positive; however, they pointed out that content can be improved. They were among those who voted for approval.

Sandoval highlighted that since 2013 the city did not have a security plan. He said that the current document serves as a starting point for the implementation of actions, within the powers of the Municipality, which mainly include risk management.

Regarding the budget issue, Valarezo said that The plan cannot include all the projects that the Secretary of Security has planned. “The plan seeks to generate articulations with the rest of the institutions,” explained Valarezo and indicated that once the institutions are integrated and have their budgets, evaluations will be made every three months.

The Mayor of Quito, Santiago Guarderas, He reproached the attitude of the councilors who questioned the initiative, when it is a priority issue for the city.

“It surprises me. It is said here “when important things are brought to the Council, when we begin to discuss profound things”; it is brought (and now they say that) there is haste, (they say) that there is a theme of wanting to upset things. The president of the (Security) Commission, of which I was a member, in two years has invited all the councilors to participate in the working groups, (but) I have not seen them. Now I am surprised that they come to say that they have not taken A, B, or C (subjects). Citizens have been invited. And an effort has been made to bring it to you because there is a need to present a security plan, because precisely the Municipality has not had it for more than eight yearsGuarderas said.

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Since July 2019, work began on the plan, he said. Bernardo Abad, president of the Security Commission. He was ready to perform months later that same year; but, due to the October demonstrations, changes had to be made. Then, it was ready to be delivered in early 2020; however, due to the pandemic, it was postponed again and a new one was developed.

Therefore, the councilor said, the final document that the Council knew is a post-pandemic plan. It is strategic, not operational. Seeks to integrate all institutions, even if they are not part of the security axis. And it contemplates risk management.

In addition, Abad reported that, following a request from the mayor Analía Ledesma, the National Police is scheduled to train metropolitan control agents in November this year on the use of non-lethal tools. He clarified that this training is not within the framework of the Security Plan.

Councilor Fernando Morales stressed that although the National Government has the competence in matters of citizen security, the initiative of the Municipality aims at an adequate articulation with the central State. The plan will help mitigate crime rates, added the councilor. (I)