Colombia to Invest $4 Million USD into Flash Flood-Stricken City of Mocoa

Colombia has allocated about $4 million USD (12 billion pesos) for administrative and security investments in Mocoa, the department of Putumayo capital where a flash flood in April killed more than 300 people, Minister of the Interior Guillermo Rivera Flórez announced today.

More than half of the total, or about $2.3 million USD, will fund the construction of a new administrative center for Mocoa. Rivera said the plan will give the capital a modern building that will help citizens spend less time waiting for officials to complete various procedures and document processing.

Rivera added that this site will also be used to further coordinate and administer the ongoing reconstruction efforts in Mocoa to rebuild from the disaster.

Another $1 million USD will go toward video surveillance as part of Colombia’s wider “Live Safe, Live in Peace” program. The monitoring is an attempt to improve public safety and alleviate the fears that some residents have in the capital, said Rivera in a statement.

Additionally, around $300,000 USD will be used to create a “Citizen Integration Center” (CIC) in neighborhood of José Homero that will be the staging ground for the implementation of various peace process protocols and reintegration efforts.

The disaster recovery and rebuilding plans in Mocoa are close to home for Rivera, a Putumayo native who was appointed to the head of the ministry last month following the resignation of Juan Fernando Cristo. The investments announced today, said Rivera, will help the community act “with integrity and opportunity in the reconstruction of Mocoa.”

Photo: Minister of the Interior Guillermo Rivera Flórez announces new investments for Mocoa. (Credit: MinInterior)