Bogotá was one of the cities invited to share their experience in the progress made by the current administration in the implementation of an open government. The person in charge of exposing Bogota's strategies was the Secretary of the Government Margarita Barraquer. Her participation took place during the “Open Government panel, two Latin American experiences”, convened by the organization Transparencia Venezuela and with the support of the European Union.
The Colombian capital was invited by the international recognition that has been made, in these first months of the mayor of Claudia López, to the implementation of several actions that involve having an open government in a city.
The forum was shared by Mercedes Freitas, director of the Venezuelan chapter of Transparency International, José Fernández, director of public innovation of the city of Bahía Blanca in Argentina, and Jesús Urbina, digital activist, human rights defender and creator of the event.
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The panel was opened by Mercedes Freitas, whose work with Transparency International takes place mainly on social networks and the internet because in Venezuela it is prohibited in the state’s media. Freitas thanked the opportunity to meet and told how her country was doing in terms of open government, “Our project wants to start asking the government for very basic information such as budgets or laws; that seems very basic but it is not yet available, the institutional websites of the venezuelan government are closed or outdated so there is no way for citizens to intervene, participate or give their opinion ”.
Following this opening, Secretary of Government of Bogotá, Margarita Barraquer, intervined, she told a little about the process that the colombian capital has had to modernize public management and to put it at the service of the citizenry. "Since the mayor, Claudia López was elected and even during her campaign, the issue of open government was a priority, that is why this principle is embodied as a strategy of the Development Plan: A New Social and Environmental Contract for the Bogotá of the XXI Century"
Barraquer emphasized the importance of open governance, “Open government means a better quality of life because it allows citizens to be integrated into decision-making for the construction of public value. Participation should not be understood only as citizens saying what they need and what they think, but also actively participating in decisions to make a better city. "
Regarding the process that has been implementing and managing an open government, the district government secretary shared the elements that have been necessary in Bogotá and that could serve as an example for other cities, “This modernization has implied the use of technologies; open files and accountability. One of our pillars has been the Virtual Open Government Platform, a space for citizens to know how the Development Plan is going, punctually in meeting of its punctual achievements with updated, certified and relevant information”. Thanks to this work, Bogotá was accepted into the Open Government Partnership, a recognition of the city's commitment to implement measures that guarantee citizen participation, accountability and transparency.
By his side, José Fernández, agreed with that last part, explaining that in the case of Bahía Blanca it was a priority that, "The data to be understandable and kind to people who do not understand public administration."
To close the event, Jesús Urbina thanked the attendees, the panelists, the European Union for their support and shared the efforts that have been made from his country in this matter, “We do not have an open government in Venezuela, but, ¡Oh yes, in deed there are attempts being made in municipalities where even without connectivity, all our efforts are about bringing the government closer to the people!”.
