Silla Vacía Como Fortalecimiento De Participación Ciudadana En La Administración Pública Local. Caso Gobierno Autónomo Descentralizado De La Libertad

Abstract

The article aims to evaluate the implementation of the Empty Chair mechanism in the Decentralized Autonomous Government (GAD) of the La Libertad canton, determining whether the requirements and procedures established to encourage citizen participation are met. The research is framed in a mixed approach, since quantitative techniques such as the survey and qualitative techniques such as the interview are involved. Surveys are applied to a sample of 46 people and interviews to 5 people, including local authorities and community members. The results show that the perception of the transparency and effectiveness of the mechanism is predominantly negative, with 45.7% of respondents rating the management as “not very transparent.” Likewise, 39.1% consider that the mechanism improves citizen participation “very little.” The interviewees agree that, although the process exists in theory, the lack of clarity and accessibility in the information and procedures limits citizen participation. A worrying disconnection is revealed between the regulations and their implementation in the canton of La Libertad, particularly with regard to the Empty Chair. We can conclude that the details in the Citizen Participation Ordinance of the La Libertad canton are not fully complied with in terms of the requirements and mechanisms to request the Empty Chair. The mechanism fails to promote effective participation due to barriers such as lack of dissemination and accessibility, which suggests the need to simplify processes and improve communication between the GAD and citizens.