Conversation with Pedro Palacios, elected mayor of Cuenca

The 18 of April, in the Multiple Use Room of the University of Azuay, the Student Federation (UDAFE) - together with the independent organization Entre Panas - organized a discussion with Pedro Palacios, elected mayor of the city of Cuenca.

The event began at four o'clock in the afternoon with a welcome greeting from Francisco Salgado, Rector of the University of Azuay, and with Mateo González - president of UDAFE - who gave some words of thanks to the students.

The first point that was touched was the personal life of Pedro Palacios and the reason for his decision to enter politics. He stressed that the Mayor's Office is a way to get out of his comfort zone; the option to stop complaining about mismanagement and do something for Cuenca.

One of the several questions that arose around the discussion is that Pedro Palacios has not had a political past, nor has he participated in past electoral contests. To which he replied:

"I identify myself as a dreamer. I'm not playing to be a candidate, I'm not playing to do administration. I won the mayor's office without anyone's help, I just leant me the candidacy. ''

During the second part of the discussion, the students asked him how he will receive the Mayor's Office and if there will be young people in his work team. He jokingly added:

"We managed to get Marcelo Cabrera to let us into the municipality and we realized that the administration is like me: robust. You have to put it slender. "

As a third point, the members of the organization Entre panas asked him to explain how he is going to promote tourism in the city of Cuenca. Pedro Palacios - briefly - presented a seven-axis plan that was drawn up during the campaign season.

Of all the plans that his team has to revive tourism, he developed the following: declare Cuenca as a tourist destination of Ecuador, not generate more taxes for the guild of people working in the tourist area and re-vitalize the nightlife.

The fourth topic of the discussion arose around nature. The mayor-elect said he has a specific project and although he reiterated that maybe he should not tell it, because it's not a sure thing, in the end he said:

"With a probability of 99 percent, we want to implement a zero waste program in Cuenca. In other cities such as Bogotá, they have already carried out this plan and the inhabitants can enjoy this wonder "

The last point of the discussion-according to the students-was the most controversial. He stressed that in previous interviews he defined himself as a pro-life person and they asked him if during the years of government he is going to do something to defend the natural family.

Pedro Palacios said: "It does not seem like a controversial question, honestly. I do declare myself a person in favor of the defense of life, but that is my personal criterion. That's where I arrived. '' He also added:

"I am also a super defender of freedoms. Under the pretext of my freedom, I can not trample on the rights of others. "

Minutes before the end of the discussion, he clarified that when he assumes the Mayor's Office, the whole issue of life and family will turn it into a social issue and stressed that he will be open to discuss it and give opportunity to all sectors to express themselves.