Official figures show that Colombia’s government has built less than 10% of 100,000 houses promised to low-income families across the country, according to a Colombian Senator, national media reported on Thursday.
Senator Jorge Robledo stated that not only did President Juan Manuel Santos failed to carry out a $583 million construction project, but the president is also using these same promises of social housing and claims of its success to promote his re-election campaign, reported Caracol Radio.
According to Robledo, despite continuous guarantees made by Santos and his running mate, German Vargas Lleras, only 6,969 houses have been built, representing 7% of the total projected work.
In June 2013, the President announced that the government would invest $583 million for the construction of 100,000 homes for low-income families across Colombia.
MORE: Colombia approves $583M for low-income housing
In April 2014, Housing Minister Luis Felipe Henao claimed credit for dramatic improvements in the housing market, citing statistics from a national report and saying that “the construction of social housing is helping the Colombian economy and reducing the housing deficit,” according to reports by El Pais newspaper.
MORE: Colombia’s housing deficit decreasing due to social housing schemes: govt
Henao even went so far as to say the growth figures demonstrated that “the greatest engine of the economy has been the construction of social housing.”
Senator Robledo said that he asked Henao multiple times for official figures on the project, but that the Minister continually evaded his questions, reported Caracol Radio.
“After four months of insisting that he hand over the information, the minister finally answered me. Only 6,969 homes have been delivered and 12,197 have been titled. Santos’ promise was not fulfilled, and here is the evidence,” Robledo said.