Cali land dispute: ISA vs. 400 families, authorities seek guarantees for vulnerable residents

A complex legal and social conflict is unfolding in Cali, Colombia, centered on a piece of land in the Navarro district where nearly 400 families have established an informal settlement. The dispute pits Interconexión Eléctrica S. A. ESP (ISA) against the inhabitants of the settlement, known as Brisas de las Torres, who have been living there for five years.

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The rural area is located southeast of the urban center of Cali, claimed in restitution by Interconexión Eléctrica with a legal action ruled in its favor against the secretariats of Social Welfare and Housing of the district and the Mayor's Office itself, in second instance by the 10th Civil Circuit Court of Orality in 2024.

ISA claims ownership of the land, which is described as a servitude strip along power lines, and has a court ruling in its favor from 2024. However, the settlement comprises over 1,200 people, including children, the elderly, migrants, and victims of armed conflict. These vulnerable residents have also pursued legal actions, seeking dignified living conditions and due process from the district administration.

According to the Cali ombudsman, Gerardo Mendoza, the settlement consists of 390 households. Among the population are 486 children and adolescents, 453 heads of household who are victims of the armed conflict, as well as single mothers, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. The land in question involves two plots within an electrical servitude area.

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But this is a complex social dilemma, considering that within the families, with a total of more than one thousand people in the settlement named Brisas de las Torres, there are children, the elderly, migrants, and an entire population in conditions of vulnerability who have also filed legal actions against the district Administration, demanding dignified solutions for living and respect for due process.

Local authorities, including the Personería, Defensoría, and Procuraduría, are urging for guarantees to protect this vulnerable population. Following a recent inspection, an eviction process has been postponed, allowing time for further characterization and potential solutions. The situation highlights the tension between corporate property rights and the urgent need for housing for a large, vulnerable community.

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A characterization carried out by the Housing Secretariat of the capital of Valle indicates that the settlement is made up of 390 households and 1,226 people. Of that number, 486 are children and adolescents; 453 are heads of household victims of the armed conflict, in addition to there being single mothers, older adults, and people with disabilities.