Daniel Quintero Launches Presidential Campaign Amid Aguas Vivas Corruption Scandal

Daniel Quintero, former Mayor of Medellín, made the announcement of his presidential candidacy outside La Alpujarra Administrative Center last Tuesday, March 25. Despite his calls for public support, attendance was sparse, which local media has attributed to the effect of the Aguas Vivas scandal, that involves serious allegations of corruption against him and his administration and for which he would be charged that same afternoon at La Alpujarra.

At the heart of the controversy is a strategic piece of land known as ‘Aguas Vivas’, spanning 142,000 square meters (about 35 acres) in Medellín’s  El Poblado neighborhood. The property, with 70% of its area designated as protected rural land, was originally set aside for public use under former mayor Federico Gutiérrez’s administration. In 2019, its owners agreed to donate the area to the city for the development of a park as part of an urban planning agreement.

However, in 2020, under Quintero’s administration, the decision was reversed. The property was returned to its original owners, and a decree was signed reclassifying its use without approval from the Medellín City Council as required by law, significantly increasing its market value. According to the investigation of the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia, Quintero and his administration planned to have the city repurchase the land at an inflated price—close to $50 billion COP ($12 million USD as of the date of publication)—to incorporate it into the ambitious project ‘Valle del Software’. The investigation into Quintero’s administration has also extended to other public contracts and financial management decisions, further entangling several key officials in the legal process.

The Aguas Vivas scandal is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of irregular modifications under Quintero’s administration. Similar allegations have surfaced regarding the neighboring ‘Guacharacas’ and ‘La Volcana’ lots, which had their classification changed from protected land to developable land.

These alterations were designed to benefit private landowners, who would then sell the properties back to the city at inflated prices. However, in July 2024, it was Quintero who first warned about irregularities with these properties, blaming the administration of Federico Gutierrez and asking the prosecutor’s office to investigate.

“I have filed a criminal complaint seeking an investigation into Mayor Federico Gutiérrez and his officials for what I have dubbed the “Lot Cartel” [Cartel de los lotes]. It involved the increase in the value of private lots by the Medellín Mayor’s Office up to 100 times their actual value, which were then transferred to the Medellín real estate fund, enriching their owners in seconds,” Quintero said via X at the time.

However, his allegations have failed to gain traction and he is the one at the spotlight as the case unfolds. The Office of the Attorney General has charged Quintero, nine former officials, and three people from the private sector with crimes including embezzlement, undue interest in public contracts, and malfeasance. Among those under scrutiny are Carlos Mario Montoya Serna, former Secretary of Territorial Management and Control (who allegedly endorsed the unlawful reclassification of the Aguas Vivas property), Sergio Andrés López Muñoz, ex-director of Urban Planning (accused of facilitating the bureaucratic processes that enabled the land’s rezoning), and José Fernando Rueda Salazar, private developer suspected of benefiting from the land deal.

Quintero’s attempt to shift the narrative by launching his presidential campaign in the midst of these accusations has largely backfired. Adding to the controversy, key political allies with legal troubles of their own, attended the event held last week including Senator Álex Flórez, Miguel Quintero (former mayor’s brother) and Óscar Hurtado (former Secretary of Finance of Medellín).

Headline photo: Quintero at the public gathering in Medellín where he announced his presidential candidacy on March 25 (Photo: X / @MiltonQuinonesC)