Gustavo Alessandri, president of the Chilean Association of Municipalities (AChM), has ruled out filing a lawsuit directly against Carolina Leitao following the discovery of financial irregularities within the organization. The leader, who is independent-RN, clarified that any potential legal action will instead target the directors responsible for the previous administration's management.
According to reports from latercera.com, Alessandri maintains that investigations by the Comptroller General and an external audit have revealed a lack of internal controls and abuses by certain directors. The AChM leader specified that his goal is not to target a specific mayor, but rather the administrative structure that allowed these irregularities to occur.
“I am not going after a mayor who served as president, because she also helped implement processes that didn't exist. We are currently evaluating our options. We have time, and we must respond to the Comptroller's observations within 60 days,” Alessandri told the press.
Internal tensions and the debate over SLEP
The outlook for the AChM is marked not only by financial audits but also by the emergence of a group of progressive mayors seeking a more prominent role in the association's agenda. Figures such as Tomás Vodanovic, Claudio Castro, and Karina Delfino have emerged as vocal critics of the current management.
Alessandri denied that the association is fractured, asserting that the institution aims to move forward through transparency. Regarding criticisms of his leadership, the official stated he remains open to dialogue, provided it is based on concrete arguments.
Additionally, the AChM president addressed his recent disagreement with the Mayor of Puente Alto, Matías Toledo, concerning the transfer of municipal schools to the Local Public Education Services (SLEP). When questioned about discussing the matter with former candidate José Antonio Kast, Alessandri defended his position as a technical one.
“We all agree that the SLEP system has flaws and that we must find ways to fix them. Whether it is the SLEP, the municipalities, or a mixed system, the important thing is that no student is left without an education,” the leader noted.
Alessandri also acknowledged the difficulties of managing large-scale educational networks, citing the crisis in the Los Lagos region. Furthermore, he highlighted that underserved communes, such as La Pintana, possess educational infrastructures that the SLEP has been unable to maintain with the same level of capacity.
