New sub-governor to prioritize defense of ecological cordon and aquifer

Federico Morón has assumed the role of sub-governor for the Andrés Ibáñez province, vowing to make environmental defense the cornerstone of his administration. His primary focus will be safeguarding Santa Cruz's ecological cordon and the vital aquifer that supplies water to the region.

Morón, who transitioned from environmental activism to serving as a councilman, stated that he could not refuse this responsibility, as it aligns with causes he has long championed. He plans to initiate an audit of the ecological cordon, as mandated by Municipal Law 1786, which he helped promote during his time on the Municipal Council. This audit aims to establish a baseline for the legal status of properties within the cordon, where historical records show approximately 12 owners but current registrations number 76, many allegedly seeking to urbanize the area for real estate purposes.

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It was very difficult to say no to this responsibility because these are causes I have fought for a long time.

Regarding the protection of the aquifer and its recharge zones, Morón emphasized water's strategic importance for Santa Cruz. He intends to seek national and international funding for environmental projects. He has already begun discussions with departmental assembly members, mayors, and technical teams from the five municipalities within the Andrés Ibáñez province: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Porongo, La Guardia, El Torno, and Cotoca.

Acknowledging the administrative and bureaucratic demands of public office compared to activism, Morón pledged to maintain his citizen commitment and participate in awareness activities. However, he will refrain from activism on issues now under his institutional purview. He also noted his new salary of Bs 12,000, a significant increase from his previous Bs 3,900 as a substitute councilman, and mentioned he might occasionally resume selling chicharrones to supplement his income.

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A sub-governor earns Bs 12,000, which for me is a tremendous leap, because before I earned Bs 3,900 as a substitute councilman, and of course, it was barely enough to live on, and that's why there were the chicharrones, to be able to pay for lawsuits and all the photocopies and other expenses for the cases.