Opinion and Citizen Participation: The Construction of Governance from the Municipal Level

Abstract

It is through citizen participation that democratic societies have built new models of governance through rights-bearing actors that demand more and more their intervention in shaping public development policies according to their economic, geographical and cultural realities and not conceived from the traditional model of state regulation. Today modern democratic systems rely on the strengthening of the public sphere considering it as a meeting place between social and political actors for deliberation and collective decision making. In this sense, citizen participation strengthens the State and society at the same time, without this representing a loss of identity of one or the other. (Velásquez and González, 2003: 63). This study takes up the experience carried out in the municipality of Otatitlán, Veracruz, as a benchmark in the search for citizen inclusion, fostering their involvement in public affairs. While the opinions aim to serve as an antecedent to plan, design and exercise government actions that positively impact the citizenry. The above starting from a legal framework in accordance with the provisions of articles 25 and 26 of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States; 10 and 11 of the Planning Law of the State of Veracruz of Ignacio de la Llave and 191 of the Organic Law of the Free Municipality for the State of Veracruz of Ignacio de la Llave, among other ordinances. For this purpose, two actions were carried out; the first refers to the integration of the Planning Council for Municipal Development, constituted by representatives of the public, social, and private sectors of the Municipality; representative organizations of workers, peasants and popular groups; academic, professional and research institutions; business organizations; student organizations, youth and women's organizations, and other social groups. The second action was the realization of popular consultation as a mechanism to incorporate opinions of citizens of the municipality, from which data was obtained necessary for the preparation of an economic and social diagnosis that reflects the situation of the municipality, defining objectives and priorities for to indicate what is to be achieved and what is most urgent and necessary. The popular consultation is based on the quantitative research approach; from this, calculations were established that made it possible to identify citizen demands expressed numerically. Under a statistical methodology for the collection, management and presentation of numerical information, information was obtained regarding the most relevant needs from the point of view of the citizens, collected from the survey technique and the questionnaire as an instrument. Based on the above information was obtained that allowed to foresee actions and resources necessary for the economic and social development of the municipality; mobilize economic resources of society and guide it to the development of productive activities; program the actions of the municipal government establishing an order of priorities; seek a balanced urban development of the population centers that are part of the municipality, promote the participation and conservation of the environment and promote the harmonious development of the municipal community.