Mayor of Santa María on Controversial Prison in Divisa: ‘It’s a Project Without Consultation’

The Mayor of Santa María, Iván De León, has heavily criticized the Central Government for advancing a $177 million maximum-security prison project in Divisa (Herrera province) without consulting local authorities or the community. De León condemned the lack of transparency, noting that the municipality’s formal requests for details have been ignored. The proposed “Complejo Penitenciario de Provincias Centrales” has sparked major unrest in the region for several key reasons:

• Secretive Planning: The project, valued at around $177.2 million and slated for construction in the Los Canelos area, was planned without communicating with local representatives or residents.

• Proximity to Schools: The facility’s planned location is near vital educational centers, including the Instituto Nacional de Agricultura (INA) and the Instituto de Artes Mecánicas, raising safety concerns among students and parents.

• Displaced Priorities: Residents and local officials have expressed frustration over the massive investment in a prison when the region continues to suffer from basic infrastructure deficits, such as a lack of reliable drinking water and hospital facilities.

• Public-Private Partnership: The project is being developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, with proposal submissions slated to begin in late July.

The mayor of the Santa María district, Iván De León, questioned the lack of information and consultation by the Central Government regarding the controversial project to build a penitentiary center in Divisa, in Herrera, valued at 177 million dollars, and warned that the initiative has been handled without the participation of local authorities or the community.  The mayor added that, despite attempts at dialogue, there have been no effective approaches with the minister. “Later, we invited her to a courtesy meeting at the City Council, which she also did not attend… and from there we coordinated for June 19th, but the day before, at 3 p.m., she called me and said she couldn’t make it,” he recounted.