Citizen participation in the Portoviejo 2035 development strategy

Abstract

Citizen participation stands as one of the basic pillars that underpins development plans, especially from the decentralization strategy adopted by many governments since the middle of the last century. The descriptive study raises how this variable is addressed in the update of the development plan of the Portoviejo canton until 2035, and the legal foundations on which it is based, which is the central objective of the article. Bibliographic documentary analysis was used as a logical method, associated with empirical methods such as observation of the cantonal reality and interviews with various actors related to the implementation of the plan through local development projects. As a result, the incorporation of citizen participation in the political agenda of the Government in the Portoviejo canton is based through the analysis of the development programs planned until 2035. For this, the theme is exposed in three main sections: the first on the Portoviejo canton as an ecosystem of sustainable development, the second on the legal support of citizen participation as a support for such development, and a third on the perspective vision of the Portoviejo 2035 plan and how their programs are articulated with participation for local development. As part of the results, the main achievements that have been partially obtained in the achievement of the objectives of said Plan are presented.