Bucaramanga court suspends $538 million municipal loan

The Juzgado Once Administrativo del Circuito Judicial of Bucaramanga issued precautionary measures that temporarily suspend the effects of Municipal Agreement 009 of 2026. The agreement had authorized Mayor Cristian Portilla to contract a public‑sector loan of 538.611 million pesos intended to finance major infrastructure works, including the modernization of the city’s traffic‑signal network and the construction of the North‑Metropolitan Corridor.

The suspension was ordered by Judge Edilia Duarte after a nullity suit filed by former Representative Cristian Avendaño, who challenged the legality of the approval process. The move also reflects earlier warnings from the Procuraduría General de la Nación, which identified serious technical, financial and planning deficiencies in the loan proposal. Despite those alerts, the Bucaramanga City Council voted in favor of the loan.

While the case is examined, the municipality cannot proceed with the borrowing, halting the planned projects until the court resolves the underlying legal issues.