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Civic Committee questions land subdivision of former airport in San Ignacio de Velasco
🇧🇴 Bolivia /Energy & Infrastructure

Civic Committee questions land subdivision of former airport in San Ignacio de Velasco

From El Deber · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The Civic Committee of Santa Cruz denounced the alleged illegal subdivision of land belonging to the former airport in San Ignacio de Velasco.
  • The committee claims over 300,000 square meters have been occupied since 2020, with authorities failing to act.
  • They are demanding accountability from local and national authorities and seeking the recovery of the disputed land.

The Civic Committee of Santa Cruz has denounced what it calls the "largest land subdivision in Bolivia," involving over 300,000 square meters of land belonging to the former Juan Cochamanidis airport in San Ignacio de Velasco. According to Dino Franco, the committee's second vice president, the occupation of this land began in 2020, and despite six years passing, authorities have failed to take effective action to reclaim the property.

An encroachment cannot become a right due to the lack of action by the authorities.

— Dino FrancoFranco argued that prolonged inaction does not legitimize illegal land occupation.

Franco criticized the inaction, noting that this is the third mayor to hold office during the period of occupation without any resolution. He stated that the Civic Committee has requested explanations from various institutions, including the Mayor's Office of San Ignacio de Velasco, the Bolivian Civil Aviation Authority (AAC), and the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC). "An encroachment cannot become a right due to the lack of action by the authorities," Franco asserted during a press conference.

The committee plans to convene a meeting with relevant authorities and representatives from institutions such as the Ministry of Public Works, Naabol, DGAC, and the Public Ministry. The goal is not to justify the situation but to identify those responsible and uncover the truth. Images presented by the committee show existing housing within the disputed area, suggesting that individuals have occupied the land by taking advantage of the authorities' inaction.

We are not looking for explanations to justify what happened, we are looking for those responsible and the truth.

— Dino FrancoThe Civic Committee leader stated their objective is to identify culprits and ascertain facts, not to excuse the situation.

Franco also highlighted the historical significance of the former airport, emphasizing its role in connecting San Ignacio de Velasco with other regions for decades, particularly before the development of road infrastructure. He concluded by stating, "What is illegal is not negotiated, it is not normalized, and it does not become legal. We must make the heritage of San Ignacio de Velasco respected."

What is illegal is not negotiated, it is not normalized, and it does not become legal. We must make the heritage of San Ignacio de Velasco respected.

— Dino FrancoFranco affirmed the committee's stance against normalizing illegal land seizures and their commitment to protecting local heritage.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Deber in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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