Original article: «Primero el incendio, ahora la demolición»: Senadora Cariola cuestiona transparencia del Gobierno en decisión de demoler viviendas a vecinos de El Olivar en Viña del Mar Senator Karol Cariola (PC) from the Valparaíso region has called out the Government regarding the demolition process of homes in the El Olivar area of Viña del Mar, as families continue to grapple with the pain of the recent mega-fire. The lawmaker expressed her concerns following reports from residents who accuse authorities of pressuring them to sign demolition authorizations without prior information about the purpose of the meeting.
«First it was the fire, and now the demolitions. Families in El Olivar have already lost everything in a tragedy that still hurts to remember, and now they face uncertainty once again,» questioned the legislator.
Cariola detailed that, «the technical report acknowledges some faults but also suggests alternatives for reinforcement that should be considered. That’s why there is such concern that the demolition is being portrayed as a done deal, without clear explanations and without transparency towards the residents.» In this context, Cariola assured that after communicating with residents of El Olivar, «the reports of pressure that families claim are serious.
Some have even indicated that they were misled into signing the demolition of their homes.» «When making such drastic decisions, it’s not enough to rely solely on technical criteria if this is not done transparently and clearly in front of the people,» added the PC legislator. It’s noteworthy that, on March 27, following the announcement made by Housing Minister Iván Poduje, Senator Cariola, along with Senator Diego Ibáñez (FA), reached out to Minvu and the Comptroller to request the technical criteria and background justifying the demolition decision, as well as to clarify the procedures to be followed.
The senator emphasized that families need concrete information about available alternatives: «The residents of El Olivar deserve to know if reinforcing was seriously evaluated, how much it would cost, how long it would take, and what level of safety it would offer compared to demolishing their homes.» Finally, Cariola stressed that «this is not just about engineering or technical decision-making. In El Olivar, there are people, families whose trust has been severely shaken, and they need certainty, clear timelines, and a safe solution.