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Res. 07828-2024 Sala Constitucional · Sala Constitucional · 22/03/2024
OutcomeResultado
The Constitutional Chamber denied the amparo, holding that the claims about the budget amendment and project execution were ordinary legality disputes outside its jurisdiction and that no direct violation of fundamental rights was proven.La Sala Constitucional declaró sin lugar el recurso de amparo por considerar que los reclamos sobre la modificación presupuestaria y la ejecución del proyecto constituyen conflictos de legalidad que no corresponden a su jurisdicción, sin que se acreditara una lesión directa a derechos fundamentales.
SummaryResumen
The Constitutional Chamber reviewed an amparo filed by a Cartago resident on behalf of the community against several state institutions (MIVAH, MOPT, MINAE, CNE, INVU, National Museum, and the Municipality of Cartago) for the alleged violation of fundamental rights due to a budget amendment that reduced the funds originally allocated for the first stage of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park by 900 million colones. The petitioner argued that the redistribution made the project—aimed at urban regeneration, risk management, and protection of the Reventado River National Reserve—unviable, thereby violating the right to a healthy environment. The Chamber, by majority, denied the amparo, ruling that the challenges to budget execution and municipal actions raised ordinary legality issues beyond its jurisdiction and that no direct injury to fundamental rights was shown. It noted that the amendment was approved by the Legislative Assembly and that the institutions acted within their competencies; moreover, the park already exists as a public space and its development is ongoing. A dissenting justice argued that the prior administrative intervention meant the case should have been dismissed outright, as it belonged to the administrative-contentious jurisdiction.La Sala Constitucional analizó un recurso de amparo presentado por un vecino de Cartago en favor de la comunidad, contra múltiples instituciones estatales (MIVAH, MOPT, MINAE, CNE, INVU, Museo Nacional y Municipalidad de Cartago) por la alegada violación de derechos fundamentales debido a la modificación presupuestaria que redujo en 900 millones de colones los fondos originalmente destinados a la primera etapa del Parque Metropolitano Los Diques. El recurrente argumentó que la redistribución imposibilitaba la ejecución del proyecto, el cual buscaba regeneración urbana, control del riesgo y protección de la Reserva Nacional del río Reventado, afectando el derecho a un ambiente sano. La Sala, por mayoría, declaró sin lugar el recurso al considerar que los cuestionamientos sobre la ejecución presupuestaria y la actuación municipal constituían un conflicto de legalidad ordinaria, competencia de otras instancias, y no una lesión directa a derechos fundamentales. Señaló que la modificación fue aprobada por la Asamblea Legislativa y que las instituciones demostraron haber actuado dentro de sus competencias; además, el parque ya existe como espacio público y su desarrollo continúa. Un magistrado emitió una nota separada en la que disintió sobre las razones de fondo, argumentando que la intervención administrativa existente situaba el asunto en la esfera de la jurisdicción contencioso-administrativa y que el amparo debió rechazarse de plano.
Key excerptExtracto clave
In this regard, first, this Court notes that the budget amendment challenged was allowed and approved by the Legislative Assembly — publication made in La Gaceta No. 170, supplement No. 175 on September 3, 2021. Thus, any questioning of the actions taken by the Municipality of Cartago or the authorities related to this law, or any disagreement regarding the execution or non-execution of the budget items provided by the legislature for the project in question, are far from being constitutional issues, since they are clearly legality disputes that must be raised and resolved before the appropriate ordinary courts; it is evident that this Chamber is not responsible for determining the convenience of certain budget amendments approved by the legislature in the exercise of its own powers, let alone for verifying whether the budget items have been executed or not, as hearing and ruling on such claims is the competence of administrative or judicial bodies within the sphere of ordinary legality. In addition, contrary to the petitioner’s claims, the authorities of the Municipality of Cartago stated under oath that “8. The park process is currently proceeding responsibly with contracts related to the environmental component and inter-institutional coordination to ensure, as far as possible, the investments, which in this case remain within the margins of the Reventado River Reserve until their results are known (…) 10. The Los Diques Metropolitan Park as a risk management and urban and ecological regeneration strategy is not unfeasible according to municipal technical criteria, and more specifically from the perspective of the Urban Planning Office. In this regard, carrying out complementary studies to the existing hydraulic studies is always necessary and beneficial, given the origin of the Reserve and its natural cycles of events associated with floods and landslides; this will help ensure the planned investments or dismiss them if necessary by all the entities involved. 11. The Los Diques Metropolitan Park as a public space already exists; what is required is to enhance its value and for the people of Cartago to make the site their own, creating a sufficient supply of services and recreation in a safe and friendly environment; otherwise, we will continue to foster inappropriate behavior in the reserve in environmental and social terms.”Sobre el particular, en primer lugar, este Tribunal observa que la modificación presupuestaria que se reclama fue permitida y aprobada por la Asamblea Legislativa -publicación realizada en el Diario La Gaceta nro. 170, alcance nro. 175 el 3 de setiembre de 2021-. En este sentido, algún cuestionamiento respecto de las actuaciones realizadas por la Municipalidad de Cartago o las autoridades relacionadas al amparo de esta ley, o toda inconformidad relacionada con la ejecución o no de las partidas presupuestarias dispuestas por el legislador para el proyecto en cuestión, distan de ser aspectos de constitucionalidad, pues se trata claramente de conflictos de legalidad que deberán plantearse y resolverse ante las instancias ordinarias que corresponda; es evidente que no le corresponde a esta Sala determinar la conveniencia o no de determinadas modificaciones presupuestarias aprobadas por el legislador en el ejercicio de sus propias competencias, y menos aún, verificar si las partidas presupuestarias han sido ejecutadas o no, pues conocer y pronunciarse sobre este tipo de alegaciones es competencia de los órganos administrativos o judiciales del ámbito de la legalidad ordinaria. Aunado a ello, contrario a lo alegado por el recurrente las autoridades de la Municipalidad de Cartago informaron bajo la solemnidad del juramento que “8. Actualmente el proceso del parque continua responsablemente su marcha con contrataciones asociadas al componente ambiental y las coordinaciones interinstitucionales para garantizar hasta donde sea posible las inversiones, que en este caso se mantienen en los márgenes de la Reserva del Rio Reventado hasta tanto se conocen los resultados de estas (…) 10. El Parque Metropolitano los Diques como estrategia de gestión de riesgos y regeneración urbana y ecológica no es inviable desde el criterio técnico municipal y más propiamente desde la perspectiva de la Oficina de Planificación Urbana. En este sentido realizar estudios complementarios a los estudios hidráulicos existentes es necesario siempre es bueno dado el origen de la Reserva y a sus ciclos naturales de eventos asociados a inundaciones y deslizamientos, ello permitirá asegurar las inversiones que están programadas o bien desestimarlas si fuera el caso por parte de todos los entes involucrados. 11. El Parque Metropolitano los Diques como espacio público ya existe, lo que se requiere es ponerlo en valor y que la gente de Cartago se apropie del sitio creando una suficiente oferta de servicios y recreación bajo un entorno seguro y amigable, de lo contrario seguiremos alimentando un comportamiento inadecuado de la reserva en términos ambientales y sociales” (el resaltado no pertenece al original).
Pull quotesCitas destacadas
"… este Tribunal observa que la modificación presupuestaria que se reclama fue permitida y aprobada por la Asamblea Legislativa … algún cuestionamiento respecto … o toda inconformidad relacionada con la ejecución o no de las partidas presupuestarias … distan de ser aspectos de constitucionalidad, pues se trata claramente de conflictos de legalidad que deberán plantearse y resolverse ante las instancias ordinarias que corresponda …"
"… this Court notes that the budget amendment challenged was allowed and approved by the Legislative Assembly … any questioning … or any disagreement regarding the execution or non-execution of the budget items … are far from being constitutional issues, since they are clearly legality disputes that must be raised and resolved before the appropriate ordinary courts …"
Considerando IV
"… este Tribunal observa que la modificación presupuestaria que se reclama fue permitida y aprobada por la Asamblea Legislativa … algún cuestionamiento respecto … o toda inconformidad relacionada con la ejecución o no de las partidas presupuestarias … distan de ser aspectos de constitucionalidad, pues se trata claramente de conflictos de legalidad que deberán plantearse y resolverse ante las instancias ordinarias que corresponda …"
Considerando IV
"… la finalidad del recurso de amparo es brindar tutela oportuna contra infracciones o amenazas directas a los derechos y libertades fundamentales, no servir como un instrumento genérico para canalizar peticiones o quejas de otros tipos."
"… the purpose of the amparo remedy is to provide timely protection against direct infringements or threats to fundamental rights and freedoms, not to serve as a generic instrument to channel petitions or complaints of other kinds."
Considerando IV
"… la finalidad del recurso de amparo es brindar tutela oportuna contra infracciones o amenazas directas a los derechos y libertades fundamentales, no servir como un instrumento genérico para canalizar peticiones o quejas de otros tipos."
Considerando IV
"La protección a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado … está tutelado no solo en el artículo 50, de la Constitución Política, sino también en una serie de leyes y decretos ejecutivos … Esto hace necesario, en materia ambiental, separar el control de constitucionalidad del control de legalidad."
"The protection of a healthy and ecologically balanced environment … is safeguarded not only in Article 50 of the Political Constitution but also in a series of laws and executive decrees … This makes it necessary, in environmental matters, to separate constitutional review from ordinary legality review."
Nota separada — Voto del Magistrado Salazar Alvarado
"La protección a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado … está tutelado no solo en el artículo 50, de la Constitución Política, sino también en una serie de leyes y decretos ejecutivos … Esto hace necesario, en materia ambiental, separar el control de constitucionalidad del control de legalidad."
Nota separada — Voto del Magistrado Salazar Alvarado
"… cuando un ente u órgano público ha intervenido, en diversas formas, o ha dictado actos administrativos en relación con un asunto ambiental, su conocimiento y fiscalización corresponde a la jurisdicción de lo contencioso-administrativo."
"… when a public entity or body has intervened, in various ways, or has issued administrative acts in relation to an environmental matter, its review and oversight fall under the jurisdiction of the administrative-contentious courts."
Nota separada — Voto del Magistrado Salazar Alvarado
"… cuando un ente u órgano público ha intervenido, en diversas formas, o ha dictado actos administrativos en relación con un asunto ambiental, su conocimiento y fiscalización corresponde a la jurisdicción de lo contencioso-administrativo."
Nota separada — Voto del Magistrado Salazar Alvarado
Full documentDocumento completo
CONSTITUTIONAL CHAMBER OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE. San José, at nine hours twenty minutes on the twenty-second of March, two thousand twenty-four.
Amparo action filed by [Name 001], identification card number [Value 001], on behalf of the COMMUNITY OF CARTAGO, against the NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR RISK PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE (CNE), THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HOUSING AND URBANISM (INVU), THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY (MINAE), THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND YOUTH (MCJ), THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORT (MOPT), THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS (MIVAH), THE MUNICIPALITY OF CARTAGO, AND THE NATIONAL MUSEUM.
Whereas:
It was established: "(…) Article 32: 'The Municipality of Cartago is authorized to change the destination of the budget item approved by means of Ley 9791, budget code 215 814 70104 280 2310 3120 201, for an amount of two billion colones (¢2,000,000,000), or the balance that exists, intended "For the project for works of the Los Diques de Cartago subregional park," so that it is distributed as follows: One billion one hundred million colones (¢1,100,000,000) for the Project for Works of the Los Diques de Cartago Subregional Park, Directriz 027-MS-MIVAH of 03/25/2008 and according to articles 22, 23, and 24 of Title IV of Ley 9635, Strengthening of Public Finances, of December 3, 2018. Two hundred million colones (¢200,000,000) for risk studies and watershed management (manejo de cuenca) of the Río Reventado. Seven hundred million colones (¢700,000,000) for the Development Project of the Agua Caliente de Cartago Interpretation Center, Municipality of Cartago (…),' which, upon consultation with the Museo Nacional, has a cost exceeding ¢1,000,000,000.00.
By official letter No. DVM-OF 169-2021 of October 2021, MINAE gave its full support to carrying out the project of interest. In November 2021, according to Minute No. 117-2021 of the Concejo de Cartago (Art. 2), the mayor of Cartago again secured approval of the Specific Cooperation Agreement on the design of construction plans and construction of the first stage of the Agua Caliente interpretation center between the Municipality of Cartago and the Museo Nacional de Costa Rica and was authorized to sign it. At the request of MIVAH, the Urban Planning Office (Oficina de Planificación Urbana), in coordination with the Municipal Urbanism Directorate of Cartago, in official letter No. DU-OF-195-2022/OMPU-OF-049-2022 of April 18, 2022, issued a comprehensive report on the Parque Metropolitano Los Diques Project, in relation to the Interinstitutional Technical-Financial Cooperation Agreement between MIVAH and the Municipality of Cartago.
That report detailed: '(…) we continue with the project management process to bring it to a successful conclusion under the commitment of all the municipal areas involved, as long as MIVAH commits to guaranteeing the minimum necessary resources agreed upon to fulfill the project's scope and thus achieve the project's short, medium, and long-term objectives, given its importance at the subregional level to fulfill the Costa Rican State's commitments regarding risk mitigation in the face of climate change, Bridge to Development (Puente para el Desarrollo), and achieving the goal of decarbonizing our territory by 2030 (…).' It claims that Ley de Presupuesto Nacional No. 10035, by redistributing the budget allocated to the Parque Metropolitano Los Diques project, harms the scope of the Interinstitutional Technical-Financial Cooperation Agreement between MIVAH and the Municipality of Cartago and, therefore, completely distorts the intended objectives, which allowed the acting mayor of Cartago to divert the money and deprive the community of Cartago of comprehensively addressing the social, environmental, and urban problems of Los Diques de Cartago, a sector with the lowest human development indices in the province.
It affirms that the detailed budget for the minimum infrastructure works to guarantee the success of the project of interest, once the consultancy for plans, specifications, and procedures is completed, amounts to more than ¢4,400,000,000 according to the project director, 4 times more than what was set aside to develop the park. Now, in response to the request for a supplementary budget by the Urban Planning Office to continue the construction process of the park of interest, the Municipal Administration claimed not to have resources to handle amounts exceeding the amount donated by the Costa Rican State, for which the 900 million must be reimbursed from its own funds, or another motion for a change of destination must be promoted before the Asamblea Legislativa, justifying it in view of the fact that the Parque Metropolitano Los Diques cannot be executed with only 1,100 million colones, as was asserted when the budget redistribution was managed (see evidence No. 30).
It argues that, despite the fact that the Interinstitutional Technical-Financial Cooperation Agreement between MIVAH and the Municipality of Cartago expired in February 2022, as of the date the appeal was filed, the addendum or its update had not been made due to a lack of a budget that guarantees the success of the project (see evidence No. 31). It alleges that the various management plans and programs for risk control and the proper administration of the Reserva Nacional del Río Reventado to guarantee the sustainability of the project, despite the express request of the technical director of the project of interest, have not been duly managed by the Alcaldía de Cartago before the various municipal technical units bound by the agreement with MIVAH, which is serious because, given the existence of an agreement with MOPT, the Municipality of Cartago is currently the administrator of the reserve and, therefore, cannot claim a lack of legal powers to adequately and diligently attend to the area (see evidence No. 3).
It accuses the violation of the fundamental right to a healthy and balanced environment, by endangering the life and health of the inhabitants in extreme poverty in the informal settlements (asentamientos informales) of Los Diques de Cartago and the community of Taras de Cartago. Furthermore, it claims due process was violated in the budget modification destined for the construction of the Parque Metropolitano de Los Diques, which was transferred to the Municipality of Cartago since 2020, according to Ley No. 9926, Ley de Presupuesto Ordinario y Extraordinario de la República, so that, in complement with municipal resources, the execution of said park would begin, under the control of MIVAH, MOPT, MINAE, CNE, INVU, the Ministerio de Cultura, and the Ministerio de Hacienda, complying with the Ley de Transferencias and all binding regulations. It requests that the appeal be granted. Likewise, it requests that the following be ordered:
Such actions are carried out by the Executive Branch through directive and programmatic provisions, empowered by articles 130, 140 subsection 8), and 146 of the Political Constitution, in harmony with articles 25.1, 27.1, 99, and 100 of the General Law of Public Administration, Law No. 6227 of May 2, 1978, and it is at that directive and programmatic level of said norms that the Executive Branch implements this type of provisions through Directive No. 036-MP-MIVAH of November 1, 2018, called “Collective Voucher for Community Works and Social Infrastructure in Human Settlements (Bono colectivo para Obras Comunales y de Equipamiento Social en Asentamientos Humanos)” and with the MIVAH, in its highest authority, holding the stewardship of the Housing, Habitat, and Territory Sector as provided in Executive Decree No. 43580 of June 1, 2022, article 7 subsection m), composed of the Ministries of Public Works and Transport, Planning and Economic Policy, Environment and Energy, Agriculture and Livestock, the National Institute of Housing and Urbanism (INVU), the Housing Mortgage Bank (Banco Hipotecario de la Vivienda), created by Law No. 7052 of November 13, 1986, and the Institute of Rural Development (INDER), to issue housing and land-use planning (ordenamiento territorial) policy.
In addition to this, and derived from the provisions of the Urban Planning Law (Ley de Planificación Urbana), it is based on Chapter VI of said law that the INVU develops the Urban Renewal Regulation (Reglamento de Renovación Urbana) as a model norm to carry out urban renewal projects and intervention in irregular human settlements and neighborhood improvement in coordination with institutions of the Housing, Habitat, and Territory Sector, establishing cooperation and coordination actions with the corresponding municipality for the fulfillment and mandate of the aforementioned provisions.
Pursuant to the aforementioned Directive 036-MP-MIVAH, the Communal Voucher (Bono Comunal), according to article 1) subsection b) of this norm, is conceived as: “a subsidy that the Costa Rican State provides to a settlement, in general, for the provision and improvement of community works and social infrastructure; with the aim of protecting and improving the quality of life of the inhabitants, and facilitating their right to a quality urban environment.” From which it follows that these are tools of the public policy of neighborhood improvement, which seek to overcome the conditions of exclusion and segregation of sectors of society, in order to facilitate the development of settlements with conditions of equity, habitability, multi-functionality (polifuncionalidad), sustainability, and accessibility.
Legality Block of the Funds through Capital Transfers to Local Governments and Conception of Parque Los Diques Parque Los Diques is formulated so that its budget content is carried out through capital transfers to Local Governments, which were conceived in the Ordinary and Extraordinary Budget Law for the 2020 Fiscal Year. Articles 169 and 170 of the Political Constitution enshrine municipal autonomy, bearing in mind that “(…) the administration of local interests and services in each canton shall be in charge of the Municipal Government (…)” Article 176, first and second paragraphs of the Political Constitution provide that: “Public management shall be conducted in a sustainable, transparent, and responsible manner, which shall be based on a multi-year budgeting framework, in pursuit of the continuity of the services it provides. // The ordinary budget of the Republic includes all probable revenues and all authorized expenditures of the Public Administration, during the entire fiscal year.
In no case may the amount of budgeted expenditures exceed that of probable revenues,” harmonizing the constitutional principle of budget annuality in order to establish that the strategic planning of the Public Administration, understood in a broad sense, be medium and long term, facilitating its linkage with the National Development Plan according to the terms of article 4 in relation to numerals 19, 33, and 38 of Law No. 8131 of August 18, 2001 and its amendments, the “Law of Financial Administration of the Republic and Public Budgets (Ley de Administración Financiera de la República y Presupuestos Públicos),” within a multi-year budgeting framework to provide sustainability in the use of public resources, seeking the continuity of public services for greater efficiency and monitoring of budget execution insofar as it results in greater well-being for the community.
The Law for the Balance of Public Finances (Ley para el Equilibrio de las Finanzas Públicas), Law No. 9635 of December 3, 2018 and its amendments, in accordance with what is established in article 22, empowered the Ministry of Finance “to include in the Republic's budget the necessary budget transfers to guarantee the financing of institutions and social and economic development programs, as indicated in the current functional classifier.” The empowerment indicated above was incorporated into the Ordinary and Extraordinary Budget Law of the Republic for the 2020 Fiscal Year, Law No. 9791 of November 26, 2019, published in Supplement (Alcance) No. 273 of the Official Gazette La Gaceta No. 233 of December 6, 2019, identifying, with respect to the budget of the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements, in Budget Program 215-018 with Item Code 7 “Capital Transfers (Transferencias de Capital),” Sub-item 70104 “CAPITAL TRANSFERS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS 5,200,000,000” as the transfers that the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements is responsible for making as an organ of the Executive Branch in coordination with the competent organs of the Public Finance Administration (Ministry of Finance, Comptroller General of the Republic), and of the beneficiary Municipal Finance and final recipient of the public funds to be transferred.
In said budget norm, the capital transfer indicated below was authorized: MUNICIPALITY OF CARTAGO 2,000,000,000 (FOR PROJECT FOR WORKS OF THE SUBREGIONAL PARK OF LOS DIQUES DE CARTAGO, DIRECTRIZ 027-MS-MIVAH OF 03/25/2008 AND ACCORDING TO ARTICLES No. 22, 23 AND 24 OF TITLE IV OF LAW No. 9635 “LEY FORTALECIMIENTO DE LAS FINANZAS PÚBLICAS” OF DECEMBER 3, 2018). Legal ID 3-014-042080 70104 280 2310 3120 202.
Thus, the budget allocation of the transfers so authorized by the National Budget Office (Dirección General de Presupuesto Nacional) was carried out observing the parameters established in article 23 of the aforementioned Law for the Balance of Public Finances, in accordance with the following criteria: “a) The Government's priorities, according to the National Development Plan. b) The commitments established in the multi-year programming. c) The social purpose of the beneficiary institution in the provision of public services of collective benefit such as education boards, development associations, and associations administering communal aqueduct and sewer systems. d) The fulfillment of institutional objectives and goals. e) The budget execution of the three periods prior to the budget formulation year. f) The accumulated resources from previous fiscal years in the single treasury account (caja única del Estado). g) The availability of financial resources. h) Variations in the consumer price index. i) The effective fulfillment of the rights intended to be financed and the principle of progressivity of human rights. j) Other criteria used by the National Budget Office in the exercise of constitutional powers.” And for this purpose, the “Technical Guidelines on the Republic's Budget (Lineamientos Técnicos sobre el Presupuesto de la República)” for the 2020 fiscal year issued by the Ministry of Finance form part of the indicated legality block, indicating regarding budget transfers made by the ministries the monitoring and follow-up of resources, as established in article 29, which to that effect provides: “Article 29-On the measurement of monitoring and follow-up of resources transferred by ministries.
The overseeing ministers and the ministries granting resources and transfers must exercise the functions of direction, coordination, and monitoring over the transferred resources and the results obtained through their execution, for which they must establish internal mechanisms to carry out said follow-up and render accounts before this Directorate, through monitoring and evaluation reports according to the instructions that this governing body will issue in a timely manner.” Likewise, article 33 of the aforementioned guidelines provides: “Article 33-Incorporation of resources from public entities and foreign donations with a specific purpose. Entities that need to incorporate resources from transfers from public institutions or foreign donations, for a specific purpose or project, must incorporate in the request to the Minister of Finance updated information on signed agreements, resource disbursement scheduling, and expenditure details, attending to the provisions considered in this document.” As indicated, the capital transfer authorized in the national budget to the Municipality of Cartago addresses the need identified by the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements to contribute to the improvement of community and neighborhood infrastructure (equipamiento comunal y barrial) through infrastructure works for the benefit of socially vulnerable communities that, in order of institutional planning, can be attended to channel in the future the means and instruments for the provision of solutions in neighborhood improvement and provision of urban infrastructure (equipamiento urbano), -as has been indicated- through inter-institutional coordination relations necessary for such public tasks.
The Ministry of Finance, in light of the Regulation for Transfers from the Central Administration to Beneficiary Entities (Reglamento para Transferencias de la Administración Central a Entidades Beneficiarias), Executive Decree No. 37485-H, established a series of both internal and external requirements that must be observed by the granting entities and beneficiaries of capital transfers so that the respective disbursements can operate. The requirements are internal and external. 1. Among the external requirements are identified: 2. Programming of the use of resources by the beneficiary (Resource Disbursement Schedule). 3. Approval of the Oversight Body (Ordinary - Extraordinary Budget) 4. Approval of the Municipal Council. 5. Sworn declaration of the use of resources, without these generating a free surplus during the period. 6. Justification for the use of funds and Single Treasury Account balances. 7.
Certification of non-arrears on Social Security Contributions. 8. Beneficiary's Single Treasury Account. And the internal ones are: 1. Agreement (Convenio) signed between the Municipalities and the MIVAH, with the detail of responsibilities for the activities. 2. Justification for the adjustment in the budget footnote (coletilla presupuestaria), if required, to process the Executive Decree. 3. Preparation of a form or partial supervision reports (according to the defined stages) by the Directorate of Land-Use Planning (Dirección de Ordenamiento Territorial), with the approval of the Director, through which compliance with said stages and follow-up of the processes is established, allowing the Financial Department and the Head of Program 814 "Central Activities" to have technical support for planning the resource request, approval by the Program Head, and approval of the Highest Authority, to make the transfers effective according to regulations. 4.
Coordination and programming with the National Treasury to make the transfers effective, according to scheduling and cash flow availability. 5. Given the disbursements made and upon completion of the Project, or failing that, of the stages carried out, a report supporting the realization of the same, as well as the effective execution of the resources, is indispensable. Said report must be submitted with a deadline of January 30 of the following period.
Observing the stated legality block, this Ministry and the Municipality of Cartago signed the corresponding agreement for the capital transfers indicated in February 2020, which to date, as noted by the Internal Audit Office of this Ministry, is outdated, as indicated in section 8.2 of Report MIVAH-AI-0086-2022, which states as relevant: “According to the information provided by the Active Administration of the MIVAH to this Internal Audit Office, the existence -at least- of an addendum to the first cooperation agreement signed between the Highest Authorities of the MIVAH and the mayor of the Municipality of Cartago (in February 2020) was not determined; with the objective of portraying the current situation of the project, taking into consideration that through a budget modification, the resources for such works were reduced, the original amount being ¢2,000 million and finally amounting to ¢1,100 million.” In this regard, concerning the signing of an addendum to the indicated agreement, it is noted that the Ministerial Office, through Official Letter No. MIVAH-DMVAH-0401-2023 of June 20, 2023, addressed to the municipal mayor of Cartago, requested that this Ministry be sent an alternative proposal for the execution of the works associated with the development of the “Subregional Park Los Diques (Parque Subregional Los Diques),” whose financing was granted by this Ministry in 2020.
Furthermore, that the project profile be sent as soon as possible, using the “Guide to Form the Project Profile to be Carried Out with Capital Transfer Funds (Guía para conformar el Perfil de proyecto a realizarse con fondos de transferencia de capital)” as a reference basis. The foregoing is requested in order to carry out the respective technical assessments and, upon obtaining positive approval, to formalize a new cooperation agreement between the Municipality of Cartago and the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements.
Actions Carried Out by the National Institute of Housing and Urbanism (INVU) On October 10, 2023, through official letter DUV-134-10-2023, the Director of the Directorate of Urbanism and Housing, Eng. Alfredo Calderón Hernández, reported that: “I. As stated in the evidence presented in the filed appeal, within the framework of good faith, with an attitude of collaboration and support, the Institute referred regarding the Parque Metropolitano Los Diques, through official letter DUV-187-11-2020, dated November 6, 2020, in which it literally indicates: ‘…Likewise, I am pleased to inform you that for the Directorate of Urbanism and Housing of the INVU, the Parque Metropolitano Los Diques project is of manifest interest. The development of this urban intervention project is important, since it seeks to provide improvement in current infrastructure and provide quality public spaces that strengthen interaction and social dynamics…’.
II. The INVU, in accordance with what is indicated in Decree No. 22834-MOPT-MVAH which establishes the Regulation for Land Use and Construction in the Reventado River Basin (Reglamento para el Uso de Suelo y la Construcción en la Cuenca del Río Reventado); has applied the regulations as appropriate and according to what is regulated. III. The approval of the budget for the Project called Parque Metropolitano los Diques is not within the scope of this Institute’s powers.” From the foregoing, it follows that the cause as urban intervention is of interest to the INVU and the support expressed since 2020 remains; however, it is important not to lose sight that Executive Decree No. 22834-MOPT-MVAH (sic) “Reglamento para el Uso Suelo y la Construcción en la Cuenca Río Reventado,” serves to standardize the criteria for applying restrictions in the Reventado River basins and, in particular, regarding the reserve zone of the “Diques de Cartago,” so that both public and private institutions, natural persons, and legal entities, duly comply with the provisions established hereby for land use and the construction of houses and various structures, as well as human settlements, as stated in the recitals of the document. From the Appeal, it is inferred that neither the relocation stage of the settlements nor the construction stage has been reached.
Article 4 of said Decree indicates, as relevant: “(…) Those necessary uses and constructions, required exclusively for recreational and sports activity, as contemplated in Law No. 5592 of October 24, 1975, shall be regulated by a committee constituted by a representative of each of the following institutions: (emphasis added) a. National Institute of Housing and Urbanism. b. Ministry of Public Works and Transport. c. Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. d. National Emergency Commission (CNE) e. Municipality of Cartago or El Guarco, as appropriate. (…)” Although the INVU is part of that committee, its intervention is regulated for when in Sector 2, Zone 1, uses and constructions referring to recreational or sports activity are determined, so all the array of facts expounded by the Appellant are truly alien in essence to the participation that the INVU could currently have in the project and, which it does not have, since the fund is directed to a budget matter; furthermore, the INVU is not part of the Agreement between the MIVAH and the Municipality. Finally, the Appellant's Claims are not directed towards compliance by the INVU.
Actions Carried Out on the Occasion of the Specific Case in the Alleged Omission Claimed, as well as the Internal Procedure of the MIVAH for the Functioning and Operation of Transfers Regarding the follow-up of the actions developed as established in the Inter-institutional Cooperation Agreement between the Municipality of Cartago and the MIVAH within the framework of the capital transfers thus established for the development of the Parque Metropolitano Los Diques, it is established that the personnel of the Directorate of Integrated Territorial Management (Dirección de Gestión Integrada del Territorio) of this Ministry are in charge of the follow-up, and the Administrative and Financial Directorate is in charge of the transfers.
It is important to outline some financial aspects for the Parque Metropolitano Los Diques, as indicated by the Head of the Financial Department of the MIVAH, who reports via email of October 10 of the current year, on the occasion of this amparo appeal, that as has been indicated through the Budget Law for the 2020 Fiscal Year, an amount of: ¢2,000,000,000.00 (two billion colones) was approved for this Ministry in order to make a capital transfer to the Municipality of Cartago, for the following concept: “(FOR PROJECT FOR WORKS OF THE SUBREGIONAL PARK OF LOS DIQUES DE CARTAGO, DIRECTRIZ 027-MS-MIVAH OF 03/25/2008 AND ACCORDING TO ARTICLES No. 22, 23 AND 24 OF TITLE IV OF LAW No. 9635 “LEY FORTALECIMIENTO DE LAS FINANZAS PÚBLICAS” OF DECEMBER 3, 2018).” Once the legal elements supporting the legality block of the Expenditure Endorsement (VISADO del gasto) were fulfilled, this Ministry proceeded with the disbursement of the entirety of the aforementioned amount in favor of the mentioned Local Government; said disbursement was made on December 29, 2020, through proposal No. 15U04; said proposal was communicated that same day, both to the highest authorities of the MIVAH and to the mayor and officials involved in the process on behalf of the Municipality of Cartago. The disbursement in question was made to account No. 73911330100069969 that the Local Government opened in the Single Treasury Account (Caja Única del Estado) for such purposes.
Regarding subsequent disbursements to what is indicated in the points previously mentioned, it must be indicated that neither this Department nor the Administrative and Financial Directorate have any involvement whatsoever; given that, as said account is domiciled in the Single Treasury Account and as its owner is the Municipality of Cartago, the coordination of disbursements must be carried out by the Local Government directly with the National Treasury of the Ministry of Finance, therefore, the MIVAH has no relation or participation in said actions.
Likewise, and due to its importance in relation to what is stated by the appellant herein, it is necessary to understand the current status of the financial resources for the indicated project, and for such purpose, the Executive Report “Capital Transfer Municipality of Cartago (Transferencia de Capital Municipalidad de Cartago)” prepared by the Administrative and Financial Directorate of the MIVAH, signed on August 1, 2022, is provided, which arrives at the following conclusions and recommendations:
“Conclusions 1- The transfer was made by the Ministry as indicated by the 2020 Budget Law at the time, as well as the agreement signed between both parties and with the respective legal support. 2- The agreement signed between the parties is currently expired, likewise, within it, mandatory obligations for the parties were agreed, among them, that the transfer would be used solely for the purpose initially indicated in the law, as well as that, in case there are budget shortfalls to cover the total cost of the project, said shortfall should be covered by the Municipality. 3- The Municipality of Cartago processed before the Legislative Assembly the change in the use of the transferred funds; said change was endorsed by the Legislative Branch, whose decree was published in La Gaceta No. 170, Supplement (Alcance) No. 175, on September 3, 2021. The aforementioned change represents a total of 45% of the initially transferred funds, that is, an impact amounting to ¢900 million, which leaves only an amount of ¢1,100 million for the completion of the work proposed by the Budget Law and the agreement signed between the parties. 4- THE MIVAH has made several inquiries about the responsibility in the follow-up of the transferred funds according to the variation made by the Local Government and approved by the Legislative Branch, the foregoing, both to the National Budget Office, as well as to the Comptroller General of the Republic, from these inquiries it is inferred that the MIVAH is responsible for following up on all the funds until the funds subject to the variation made were approved by the Comptroller General of the Republic, a situation that already occurred, therefore, currently, follow-up must only be given to the funds that correspond to the originally proposed project, that is, the MIVAH must only be responsible for the ¢1,100,000,000. 5- The local government issues a Report through which it indicates that to date, an expenditure has been made for an amount of ¢61,848,822.00 for engineering services, leaving a balance of: ¢1,038,151,178.
Likewise, through said report, it is indicated that the cost of the project amounts to more than ¢4 billion colones, and to continue it, the MIVAH is required to disburse the missing amount; it is also indicated that there is no clarity on whether the land is a biological reserve. 6- There are several reports presented by the technical areas of the MIVAH to the Ministerial authorities, reporting on the conditions described above.
Recommendations Taking into account what is stated in this report, it is determined that, given the variation in the use of the funds approved by the Legislative Assembly, it is materially impossible to conclude the project agreed between the parties; because it amounts to an amount greater than what was transferred by the MIVAH initially. The variation made reduced the amount enabled for this work, and as the Local Government itself indicates, for the project to be viable, the Ministry is required to transfer the missing amount required for such purposes. From the foregoing, it is inferred that there is a breach of the agreement signed by the parties, since it indicated that, the funds initially transferred were solely and exclusively for the agreed project, as well as that, in case of shortfalls to finish said project, it would be the Local Government responsible for covering said shortfall; on this particular point, it is suggested to raise it for legal consultation with the Ministry.
As a result of the various inquiries made to the governing and oversight bodies in the matter, that is, the National Budget Office and Comptroller General of the Republic respectively, it is inferred that the MIVAH is only responsible for following up on the ¢1,100,000,000 endorsed for the work initially agreed between the parties. In accordance with the foregoing, it is considered relevant to communicate the provisions issued by the entities described above and given the variation made in the amount, which was assigned to new projects, whose responsible parties would be the National Emergency Commission, as well as the Ministry of Culture, Youth/ National Museum of Costa Rica; it is suggested that this notification be made with a copy to the National Budget Office and Comptroller General of the Republic, Internal Audit Office, and Municipality of Cartago, this in order to delimit and assign responsibilities, according to the scope of competence of each entity.
Along the same lines, and regarding the amount for which the MIVAH is responsible for follow-up, it is suggested to analyze the possibility of coordinating, through the MIVAH with the National Treasury and the Municipality of Cartago, the return by the latter entity to the Single Treasury Account of the existing balance to date of the aforementioned amount.” The Directorate of Integrated Territorial Management, through the Department of Program Management in the Territory of this Ministry, for the purposes of this amparo appeal, sent the roadmap that summarizes the actions carried out by this Ministry on the occasion of the specific case regarding the alleged omission claimed by the appellant; in that sense, such actions carried out in follow-up of the indicated Project are described.
(…) Regulations and others: - Institutional Position Manual MIVAH 2017, final version of February 21, 2018. - Technical Guidelines on the Republic's Budget, National Budget Office, especially article 29, regarding the obligation on the part of the granting ministry of the resources to establish internal mechanisms for follow-up and accountability before the corresponding instances of the Ministry of Finance. - Procedure DVMVAH-PRO-0001-2020 titled Execution and Follow-up of Capital Transfer (Ejecución y seguimiento de la transferencia de capital) - Approved procedures for DGPT management Having carried out the respective delimitation of the DGPT's work, within the framework of capital transfers to municipalities, and specifically in relation to the Municipality of Cartago, it has been particularly limited to the following: - Taking on what pertains to technical follow-up, after the coordination and direction process given by the institution's political units materialized with the respective resource management. - Indicating to the municipal technical counterparts the technical process to follow. - Maintaining a control and follow-up system for the transferred resources from a technical perspective for the completion of the works that determined the granting of financing. - Technically evaluating the project proposals sent by the authorities concerning the cases of interest. - Issuing a technical opinion on the proposals presented. - Reviewing the documentation presented by the beneficiary entity in the different stages of the project lifecycle. - Accompanying the municipalities throughout the project management. - Requesting different documents from the municipality to be presented throughout the process for resource traceability. - Fulfilling the scopes of the Technical-Financial Cooperation Agreement signed between the MIVAH and Municipality of Cartago. - Establishing the coordination space through the Technical Commission with the corresponding institutional peers. - Reporting on the performance of each transfer to the competent authorities of the institution through the issuance of relevant reports and communications. - Assisting the municipal technical teams in formulating the required documentation within the management of each process. - Identifying improvement points for this financing modality regarding public policy formulation. - Coordinating with the various MIVAH instances involved in the process for its adequate management. - Developing technical instruments that allow for the follow-up and monitoring of capital transfers to municipalities. - Attending to inquiries presented by various actors regarding the management of each of the transfers being executed. - Providing the technical inputs that support the presentation of documentation to the Ministry of Finance. - Conducting field visits for project follow-up, as appropriate during the project lifecycle. - Alerting the senior administration of the MIVAH regarding the risks implied by the modifications made by the Municipality of Cartago to the resources granted in 2020.
- Maintain the project management file The following table details the management performed according to the supporting documentation From the foregoing, the institutional commitment of the MIVAH to the development of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park Project, the commitments to the Municipality of Cartago, and especially to the inhabitants of the canton where the project is located, is evident, without such actions entailing a violation of the fundamental rights indicated by the appellant (…) Regarding the procedure that the legal system requires the granting entity to have, specifically for the functioning and operation of the monitoring of budget transfers granted to beneficiary entities, as part of the actions carried out, the MIVAH created the respective procedure called “Transferencias de Capital 2020” for the “Ejecución y seguimiento de la transferencia de capital” which is attached.
For the purposes of this response, it is noted that the objective and scope of said procedure consists of “Definir los mecanismos de trabajo, según la normativa vigente, que son necesarios para la trazabilidad de los recursos financieros asignados a los gobiernos locales, mediante transferencia de capital, según el destino específico de la transferencia presupuestaria” and that MIVAH personnel apply said procedure “al proceso de las transferencias de capital dirigidas a las Municipalidades de parte del Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos (MIVAH) para el desarrollo de proyectos de infraestructura comunitaria en comunidades vulnerables”. It is relevant to note that the aforementioned procedure includes a series of reports that must be rendered by MIVAH personnel with assigned functions in the process, namely, these reports are the following: “INFORME DE EVALUACIÓN DEL PROCEDIMIENTO FINANCIERO: Documento técnico realizado por la DAF que evalúa el proceso del orden financiero.
En este informe se valora de manera sistémica el proceso financiero concluido, además se registra el proceso comparativo entre lo planificado y lo realizado desde el punto de vista cualitativo, mediante la aplicación de medidas de desempeño, verificando el grado de cumplimiento de las previsiones contenidas en los instrumentos de planificación y presupuesto, en relación con los logros obtenidos. Del proceso financiero se realizará un informe parcial al momento de realizar la transferencia a la Municipalidad. INFORME DE EVALUACIÓN DEL PROCEDIMIENTO TÉCNICO: Documento técnico realizado por la DGIT en colaboración con el DGPT que evalúa el proceso del orden técnico. En este informe se valora de manera sistémica el proceso del técnico del proyecto concluido, además se registra el proceso comparativo entre lo planificado y lo realizado desde el punto de vista cualitativo, mediante la aplicación de medidas de desempeño, verificando el grado de cumplimiento de las previsiones contenidas en los instrumentos de planificación, en relación con los logros obtenidos.
INFORME DE FINALIZACIÓN DE OBRAS: Documento técnico-financiero emitido por la Municipalidad donde se indique las fechas de recibo, inauguración e inicio de operación de las obras, al momento de dar por finalizadas las obras del proyecto y realizar el cierre financiero. En el ámbito financiero, en este informe deberá de indicarse el monto efectivamente ejecutado, así como las justificaciones del gasto, aunado a lo anterior, los documentos legales que respalden el gasto realizado. Se requiere especificidad del gasto, conforme la obra fue contratada, y como fue cancelada. Si el monto total de la obra supera lo transferido por el MIVAH, en este informe debe quedar consignado, indicando el origen de los recursos adicionales. Este informe busca obtener el mayor detalle de la ejecución, para así dar una mejor trazabilidad a los fondos transferidos, lo anterior, con el respaldo documental legal necesario (liquidaciones auditadas, pago de facturas, entre otros).
INFORME DE SISTEMATIZACIÓN DE LA EXPERIENCIA: Informe emitido por la Municipalidad que documenta y sistematiza los procesos realizados durante la gestión del proyecto para propiciar reflexión, análisis y aprendizajes con potencial de aplicación en futuras acciones similares. Este informe se remite al cierre luego de finalizadas y recibidas las obras, puntualizando los aspectos más relevantes de proceso y aquellos que podrían ser mejorados en futuras experiencias. Incluye las lecciones aprendidas y hace una reconstrucción del proceso, indica los factores que han intervenido en dicho proceso, cómo se han relacionado entre sí, y por qué lo han hecho de esa manera. INFORME DEL PROCESO DE CONTRATACIÓN: Documento técnico emitido por la Municipalidad del proceso de contratación con detalle de incidentes registrados, retrasos y medidas remediales que se tomaron, si las hubo. En este informe se explica a detalle la selección de la empresa elegida y la justificación de la decisión.
Este documento se entrega posterior a la orden de inicio del proyecto. INFORME DEL PROCESO DE DISEÑO Y TRAMITOLOGÍA: Documento técnico realizado por la Municipalidad que describe el proceso de diseño y elaboración de planos constructivos, especificaciones técnicas, memorias de cálculo y presupuesto detallado, así como la tramitología que se llevó para obtener el permiso de construcción. Incluye un cronograma donde se verifique el tiempo que se destinó a cada uno de ellos, los incidentes que se tuvieron y si estos afectaron en alguna medida el cronograma del proyecto. INFORME FINANCIERO: Informe emitido por la Municipalidad donde se toma en cuenta lo actuado conforme al artículo 25, del Reglamento para Transferencias de la Administración Central a Entidades Beneficiarias, el cual señala: “… los informes deberán ser remitidos, por parte de la entidad beneficiaria, a más tardar el 31 de enero del año siguiente al que se recibió la transferencia…”, En este informe deberá de indicarse el monto efectivamente ejecutado así como las justificaciones del gasto, aunado a lo anterior, los documentos legales que respalden el gasto realizado.
Se requiere especificidad del gasto, conforme la obra fue contratada, y como fue cancelada. Si el monto total de la obra supera lo transferido por el MIVAH, en este informe debe quedar estipulado. Este informe busca obtener el mayor detalle de ejecución para así dar una mejor trazabilidad a los fondos transferidos, lo anterior, con el respaldo documental legal necesario (liquidaciones auditadas, pago de facturas, entre otros). En caso de que las Municipalidades no ejecuten todo lo transferido en el año, igual deberán cumplir con el informe de ejecución en la fecha dada por ley. Adicionalmente, deberán emitir otro al momento de culminar la ejecución de los fondos. INFORME TÉCNICO DE AVANCE DEL PROCESO DE CONTRATACIÓN: Documento técnico realizado por la Municipalidad en el que evidencia el avance en la ejecución del procedimiento de contratación elegido. Este se entrega previo a la solicitud de la transferencia e incluye al menos: el cartel de licitación, un cronograma del proceso licitatorio desde la elaboración del cartel y términos de referencia hasta una proyección de la orden de inicio, número de concurso en SICOP, el estado actual de ese proceso y contratiempos que se han tenido.
INFORME TÉCNICO – FINANCIERO DE AVANCE DE OBRAS: Informe realizado por la Municipalidad de las variables técnicas y financieras del proceso de ejecución de las obras de construcción con detalle de incidentes registrados, retrasos y medidas remediales (según cronograma entregado) así como de los gastos realizados al momento de emitir el informe y sus respectivos comprobantes legales, en caso de tener saldos no ejecutados en caja única (cuenta aperturada por el MIVAH), deberá justificar los mismos, y emitir una proyección del gasto.” To which end, the corresponding technical reports that have been issued by the MIVAH are annexed to this response. Regarding the modifications to the budgetary economic content of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park project As for the reference provided by the appellant here, identified as (Prueba No.08) in which it indicates that: “se concedió audiencia al viceministro del MIVAH, para la presentación del proyecto y la suscripción de convenio de cooperación entre el MIVAH y el gobierno local de Cartago, para el desarrollo del parque de interés.
Se conoció el oficio No. MIVAH DVMVAH-0002-2020 en el que se hizo referencia al artículo 29 de la Ley No. 9635 sobre el deber de vigilancia del MIVAH como concedente de recursos públicos transferidos, así como el ejercicio de conducción y coordinación de estos y de los resultados obtenidos a partir de su aplicación; además, de instruir al ministerio indicado sobre la rendición de cuentas ante la Dirección General de Presupuesto del Ministerio de Hacienda, mediante la presentación de los respectivos informes de seguimiento y evaluación que el rector técnico solicite (véase prueba No. 8).” In relation to this criterion, it is apparent that it lacks binding force, coupled with the fact that the norm on which it is based in Article 29 of Ley N°9635 is established for the prior justification that the granting Administration establishes, but for an exclusive dedication contract for a public servant or official, and not for budget transfers specifically authorized by ordinary budget law, therefore it is clarified that this criterion does not have the binding force to compel what is expressed therein given that it is not issued by the State Advisory Body or the Governing Body in the matter, in addition to the fact that the interpretation given is far from the content regulated in the norm and what is established by the legislator whose purpose is different, consisting of regulating exclusive dedication contracts granted by the Administration to public servants.
On the contrary, the normative basis for the monitoring of the development of works financed through a capital transfer is in Article 29 of the Lineamientos Técnicos para el Presupuesto de la República, issued by the Ministry of Hacienda for the 2020 budget. In this regard, it must be stated that such oversight functions, when capital transfers are made to a Local Government, out of respect for the principle of municipal autonomy and the legality block of municipal competencies, must be carried out within the scope of coordination and cooperation, such actions derived from a cooperation instrument embodied through a specific agreement that contemplates the capital transfer as well as the corresponding provisions pertaining to oversight and the deployment of control mechanisms typical of this collaborative activity between Public Law entities, as this agreement was indeed signed between the MIVAH as the granting entity and the Municipality of Cartago as the beneficiary entity.
This is so without prejudice to the controls and responsibilities established in Articles 1, 4, 55, 56, and 57 of the Ley de Administración Financiera de la República y Presupuestos Públicos, Ley N°8131 of September 18, 2001, the Reglamento para Transferencias de la Administración Central a Entidades Beneficiarias, Decreto Ejecutivo N°37485 of December 17, 2012, and the Reglamento Orgánico del Poder Ejecutivo with which the Los Diques project was initially conceived, Decreto Ejecutivo N°41187 of June 20, 2018, and which was currently replaced by Decreto Ejecutivo N°43580 of June 1, 2022, which establishes the sectoral governing bodies, understood through “la atribución de los Ministros de Gobierno de dirigir y coordinar un conjunto de órganos y entes de la Administración Pública, con propósitos y competencias afines a la actividad estratégica gubernamental que les ha sido encomendada por Ley o por el Presidente de la República, con el propósito de orientar y supervisar la ejecución de políticas públicas que conduzcan -coherentemente- el accionar del Poder Ejecutivo hacia un fin público específico.
La rectoría permitirá fijar los objetivos políticos propuestos, formalizándolos en políticas que deben ser ejecutadas por los distintos órganos y entes de la Administración Central y Descentralizada.”, a channel through which the MIVAH, in its highest authority, holds the Governing Body of the Vivienda, Hábitat y Territorio Sector as stipulated in Decreto Ejecutivo N°43580 of June 1, 2022, Article 7 subsection m) composed of the Ministries of Obras Públicas y Transportes, Planificación y Política Económica, Ambiente y Energía, Agricultura y Ganadería, Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo, Banco Hipotecario de la Vivienda, created by Ley N°7052 of November 13, 1986, and the Instituto de Desarrollo Rural, to emanate housing and territorial planning policy. It being through said governing body that the MIVAH, through its highest authority, is entrusted with powers pursuant to the provisions of Article 4 of the cited norm, among which the following stand out: “ (…) f) Generar espacios de coordinación y asesoría necesarios para un efectivo direccionamiento político de los órganos y entes que componen el Sector, especialmente en el ámbito de la planificación nacional del desarrollo; pudiéndose entablar relaciones de coordinación y cooperación que conlleven a una adecuada gobernanza multinivel (nacional, sectorial, regional y local) y multi/actor (Administración Central y Descentralizada, otros Poderes de la República, Gobiernos Locales, organizaciones del sector privado y sociedad civil organizada) para tales efectos. g) Facilitar acciones de seguimiento y evaluación de la gestión institucional del sector, especialmente, proyectos de inversión pública.
(…)” In that vein, the main grievance stated in the present amparo action by the appellant consists of pointing out the change that occurred in the modification to Ley N°9791 of November 26, 2019, of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Budget of the Republic for the 2020 Fiscal Year, through which the capital transfer was allocated to the Municipality of Cartago to be transferred by the Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos to said municipality for the specific purpose intended for the Los Diques Park. In this regard, it must be stated that the authorities of this Ministry acted in accordance with the law, proceeding as ordered by the norm to make the budget transfer as mandated by law. It is worth recalling that in relation to the approval of the initial budget for the year 2020 of the Municipality of Cartago by the Contraloría General de la República, in Oficio DFOE-DL-2244 of December 19, 2019, the Audit Body pointed out the responsibility of the administration during the budget execution phase, noting, in what is of interest, the following: “La ejecución del presupuesto es de exclusiva responsabilidad del jerarca y de los titulares subordinados, la cual debe ajustarse a la programación previamente establecida y realizarse con estricto apego a las disposiciones legales y técnicas vigentes, dentro de lo cual se debe considerar la Ley Fortalecimiento de las Finanzas Públicas, N.° 9635.
En tal sentido la institución debe establecer los mecanismos de control necesarios para que la ejecución presupuestaria se ajuste a las asignaciones aprobadas por esta Contraloría General, se cumpla con el bloque de legalidad y se desarrolle de conformidad con los objetivos, metas y prioridades contenidas en el plan operativo institucional. De acuerdo con la norma 4.2.3 de las NTPP, las modificaciones presupuestarias no deben ser sometidas a la aprobación externa de la Contraloría General de la República, ya que el acto de aprobación interna les otorga la eficacia jurídica que requieren para su ejecución en el periodo respectivo. Sin embargo, en aplicación del principio de limitación para el financiamiento de gastos corrientes con ingresos de capital, la institución no podrá efectuar durante la fase de ejecución, modificaciones presupuestarias que impliquen un aumento en el gasto corriente en detrimento de un gasto de capital que haya tenido como fuente de financiamiento tales ingresos.” From which it can be inferred that regarding the modifications to the Law of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Budget of the Republic and the ordered manner regarding the variation in the distribution of the budget transfer made by the MIVAH that was subsequently managed by the Municipality of Cartago before the Asamblea Legislativa, this can be considered as part of the normal iter that the programming of the budget fiscal year undergoes, which is the exclusive and excluding competence of the Asamblea Legislativa, therefore, they are actions that far exceed the competencies of the Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos, which fall under the strict responsibility of the executing Administration, requesting the Sala to reject, as regards this Ministry, the petitioner's claim of violation of fundamental rights for this reason.
The legality block established in Ley N°8131 cited above is subject to the principle of budget annuality as well as to the quantitative and qualitative specificity of the financial management that the budget process entails and the various stages that comprise said process identified in Chapter II Section I Formulation, Section II Execution, and Section III Control and Evaluation of the Budget of the Republic contained in the Ley de Administración Financiera de la República y Presupuestos Públicos, therefore the dynamics and action of the budget is subject to modifications and extraordinary budgets as provided in Article 45 of the already cited Ley N°8131, it being therefore that as the budget is subject to all those modifications inherent to the budget process, as provided in Articles 32 (Extraordinary Budget), 33 (Structure of budgets), 61 (Budget Modifications by executive decree), 62 (Request for transfers of items from the same program or subprogram), 70 (Reprogramming due to modifications), and mainly 128 of the Regulations to Ley N°8131 (Decreto Ejecutivo N°32988 of January 31, 2006) related to numeral 46 of the same law, it is reiterated that this is the normal course through which the programming of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Budget of the Republic passes, exposed -as has been said- to the modifications authorized by the legal system that the Asamblea Legislativa carries out observing due process.
Therefore, these are actions in which this Ministry must refrain from intervening so that such modifications could be carried out, since doing so could constitute interference in the municipal autonomy in the distribution of the resources of its budget, for which this Ministry lacks competencies, said modification being finally approved as established by the legislative procedure by the Asamblea Legislativa, without this directly entailing a violation of the fundamental rights of the inhabitants of Cartago that has been carried out or promoted by this Ministry, despite finding ourselves within relationships of cooperation and coordination, it was a decision made without consulting this Ministry, given that our action, as has been indicated, is framed within the activity of inter-institutional coordination and of means so that the competent bodies can carry out the corresponding actions as ordered by law, whether the specific budget norm and the other related regulatory bodies to carry out the corresponding work of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park.
Through Informe MIVAH-AI-0086-2022 issued by the Internal Audit of the MIVAH on October 18, 2022, regarding the modification of the budget content for the Los Diques Park Project, it stated: The Municipality of Cartago made a management on September 3, 2021, through the “Ley N.º 10035 \"Quinto Presupuesto Extraordinario de la República para el Ejercicio Económico de 2021” (published in Alcance N.°175 of Gaceta N.°170), so that a new distribution5 of the ¢2,000 million that were initially budgeted would be structured, which was finally authorized by the Plenary of the Asamblea Legislativa of Costa Rica and specifying the following amounts: a) ¢1,1006 million for the works of the Parque Subregional de los Diques de Cartago. b) ¢200 million for studies of the Reventado river basin. c) ¢700 million for the “Proyecto desarrollo del Centro de Interpretación Agua Caliente de Cartago Municipalidad de Cartago”.
According to the new sum of ¢1,100 million, this amount does not adjust to the project profile7 together with the budget projections and work schedules8 that were initially formulated with the ¢2,000 million budgeted; therefore, these are examples of technical commitments that were detailed from the original “convenio de cooperación” and that were formed with a budget content that today is not the same. Additionally, the Municipality of Cartago omitted to send to the MIVAH (in its capacity as the Granting entity) the report with a cut-off date of 01-31-2022 requested by Article No. 25 of Decreto N°37485-H. As was investigated with the Dirección Administrativa Financiera of the MIVAH (DAF), a report on the use of the funds was received from the Municipality of Cartago dated 08-17-2022 and at the request of the DAF of the MIVAH, however, this constitutes an extemporaneous presentation of what is requested in the cited article of Decreto N°37485-H.
Cause Although the new distribution on the use of the resources materializes from the budget modification that was approved in the Plenary of the Asamblea Legislativa on 09-03-2021, it is necessary to indicate that there are also other official letters and technical reports that are part of the case under analysis, therefore, they must be taken into account by the MIVAH to clarify the current situation of this capital transfer and the mentioned project, for example: a) There is as a precedent the official letter issued from the Municipality of Cartago AM-OF1212-2021 dated 08-11-2021 (See in detail Anexo No.1), in which the Municipality of Cartago indicated the new general budget for infrastructure works to be developed with the amount of the ¢1,100 and ¢200 million for studies of the Reventado river basin. In that official letter, the works to be carried out with the amount of the ¢1,100 are listed, among them: blueprint designs, multi-use courts, trail enabling, water well, security booth, skate park, and electrical systems, as well as another list of a total of 44 technical studies for the Reventado river basin and for the value of ¢200 million. b) On the other hand, according to an email from last June 10, 2022, and sent by the Head of the DGPT, we were provided with a series of documentation regarding the project with the Municipality of Cartago, from which the official letter DU-OF-195- 2022 / OMPU-49-2022 dated 04-18-2022 (See Anexo No.2) is extracted, signed by the Director de Urbanismo Municipal of Cartago and the Person in Charge of the Oficina de Planificación Urbana, Technical Director of the Parque Metropolitano los Diques Project.
In summary, said official letter indicates that there were no technical studies from the Municipality to support the modification of budget resources that was processed before the Asamblea Legislativa and that the continuity of the project depends on the addition of ¢3,000 million more by the MIVAH to conclude the works, we proceed to detail the above according to an excerpt from the official letter in question: “(Underlining and highlighting are from the original) And it is pointed out as an effect of such modifications in the Project budget that: “Debido a la abundante documentación que existe sobre el proyecto basado en una transferencia de capital hacia la Municipalidad de Cartago, la modificación presupuestaria operativo10 aprobada por la Asamblea Legislativa se determina que existe un riesgo en la planificación, ejecución y construcción del proyecto con la Municipalidad de Cartago, esto expone al MIVAH a posibles implicaciones de imagen y legales debido a la no consecución del fin público en lo que respecta a esta transferencia de capital.
La presentación extemporánea de informes hacia la entidad Concedente está tratada a nivel normativo y es causante de la solicitud de la devolución de los fondos si así se considera pertinente.” Recommending in said report addressed to the highest authority of the MIVAH that, in light of Decreto N°37485-H Reglamento para Transferencias de la Administración Central a Entidades Beneficiarias and the application of NICSP 36 on associated investments and joint ventures, taking into consideration that there is traceability of resources through the annual formulation of the National Budget of the Republic, its execution according to the Ministry of Hacienda, Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos, BANHVI, developers, and authorized entities, it is concluded that the coordination of the highest authority and subordinate heads is required in order to: “10.3 En el caso de la transferencia de capital de Cartago, identificar cuáles son los acuerdos más sensibles que se modificaron en el “convenio de cooperación” original, a raíz de la ya mencionada reducción de recursos presupuestarios y con el objetivo de establecer un nuevo convenio o adenda, que se ajuste a la situación actual que vive este proyecto y que represente el acuerdo final entre las partes (Directora DAF y Director DGIT) Ver punto 8.2 del informe. 10.4 Recurrir a los informes o análisis de las áreas técnicas de ambas entidades, para conformar un informe que determine cuál es la viabilidad del proyecto y cómo se gestionarán los recursos futuros que hagan falta para cumplir, con la construcción del denominado Parque Subregional de los Diques de Cartago (Directora DAF y Director DGIT) Ver punto 8.2 del informe. 10.5 Solicitar a la Municipalidad de Cartago las proyecciones presupuestarias y cronogramas detallados para la ejecución de los ¢1.100 millones de las obras relacionadas con el Parque Subregional de los Diques de Cartago y los ¢200 millones para estudios de cuenca del río Reventado, tomando en consideración que el oficio DFOE-LOC-0988 de CGR con fecha 17-06-2022, determinó un saldo restante de ¢1.038 millones para el mencionado proyecto.
(Directora DAF y Director DGIT) Ver punto 8.2 del informe.” In relation to what has been noted, it follows that although the MIVAH, by principle and the legality block, was barred from interfering in the municipal budget development and execution, such actions by the Municipal Government do impact the general planning and distribution of resources, which are already seen with marked difficulties for the Project to be executed in the terms originally agreed and budgeted, however, this Ministry will endeavor, within the scope of its competencies and possibilities, to continue with the actions that correspond to it according to the legal system in order to the budget transfer granted. From the foregoing, it is derived that in the present case, the authorities of the Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos acted respecting the established scope of competencies, without affecting any fundamental right invoked by the appellant.
Finally, due to its importance regarding the scope of this report in relation to the present amparo action, the recommendations given by the technical team of the MIVAH in Informe DGPT-AAS-005-21.09.2023 of October 11, 2023, prepared by the Departamento de Gestión de Programas en el Territorio are transcribed, which, as relevant, recommends: “El MIVAH deberá solicitar a la Municipalidad de Cartago: 1.- Presentar el detalle de uso de la diferencia en monto económico de ¢473.151.178,00 (Cuatrocientos setenta y tres millones ciento cincuenta y un mil ciento setenta y ocho colones netos), resultado del monto disponible para “Construcción Parque Metropolitano Los Diques” y de los “…componentes deportivos y recreativos propuestos en este proyecto”, acorde a lo detallado en el ámbito 6 del documento presentado como “Perfil de proyecto por realizar con fondos del Presupuesto Nacional por transferencia del MIVAH en el 2020” “Proyecto Deportivo y Recreativo Taras y Los Diques”. 2.- Valoración por parte de las autoridades superiores del MIVAH, de la utilización de un 20% del monto transferido para realizar un “Estudio de riesgo y manejo de cuenca Rio Reventado”, en virtud que como bien lo detalla en su introducción esta “Esta zona ha sido bastante estudiada a través de los años por instituciones como el Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad ICE, Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo RECOPE, Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía MINAE, Universidad de Costa Rica UCR, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica ITCR, Comisión Nacional de Emergencias CNE.
También ha sido estudiada por el sector privado con el Quebrador Ochomogo, el cuál actualmente está siendo explotado para disminuir la posibilidad de apresamiento del río Reventado por causa del movimiento Banderillas. De todos ta temprana que colabore con la gestión del riesgo en esta cuenca.” (underlining is not original). 3.- Solicitar se adjunte dentro del perfil un criterio técnico que sustente la necesidad de inversión en un “Estudio de riesgo y manejo de cuenca Rio Reventado”, misma que se considera debe ser una contrapartida municipal como aporte de garantía al Estado del uso adecuado de los recursos que les asignó para el desarrollo de obras en beneficio del cantón.
The foregoing is in order to optimize the resources granted by the MIVAH for the development of the public work. 4.- After having evaluated the inputs presented by the institution receiving the capital transfer in 2020, there is no element describing a clear and specific project scope to be covered with the ¢1,038,151,178.00. 5.- Having such an element is a fundamental basis, which must be reflected in a mature proposal. What has been provided, far from clarifying the situation, raises doubts such as the project scope with all possible activities according to the characteristics of the intervention area, a budget breakdown consistent with the foregoing, and the provision of municipal matching funds for preliminary studies that are not contemplated and are required to make the signing of the new technical-financial cooperation framework agreement between both public entities effective. 6.- The use of public investment capital on lands not yet registered in the name of the municipality is not recommended; this is to provide legal certainty for the maintenance of the works, with municipal budgets. 7.- Assessment by the senior authorities of MIVAH, of the use of the resource assigned for the initial purpose, in view of the reduction of elements that comprised it in a specific area and which has undergone modifications reducing the elements up to the present profile submitted, in which the municipality proposes its use in other extensions of the territory initially proposed, all in accordance with the provisions of the General Requirements Regulation on Transfers, subsections: "… 8.- For each transfer, the purpose must be clearly established in accordance with the laws and provisions regulating the matter. 9.- The granting entity shall verify compliance with conditions to guarantee observance of the purpose assigned to the transfer.
Likewise, every transfer is subject to fulfillment of the purpose established in the rule, so that the resources may only be used for the purpose that motivated said transfer." (bold not original) 10.- Until all the foregoing has been adequately rectified, it is recommended that the administration of MIVAH refrain from signing the aforementioned Agreement; likewise, should the beneficiary entity fail to provide what was requested, consider recovering the granted resources as indicated in the Transfers Regulation, Article 26.- Failure to present reports to the Granting Entity. "In the event that the Beneficiary Entity does not present the reports provided for in this regulation, the Granting Entity shall take the corresponding actions within its scope of competencies, which may refer at least to: Suspension of resource transfers. Initiation of proceedings for recovery of transferred resources.
Revocation of qualification of suitability." (underline not original) " 2. CONCLUSIONS: By virtue of what has been set forth, it can be concluded, without a doubt, that: 1. Neither the MIVHA nor the INVU have violated the constitutional rights or guarantees invoked by the petitioner here, since, in respect of the principle of legality, the competencies and actions authorized by the legal system were deployed. 2. The modification of the Law of Ordinary and Extraordinary Budget of the Republic for the redistribution of capital transfers made to the Municipality of Cartago, is a coordinated competence between the Local Government and the Legislative Assembly in which neither the MIVAH nor the INVU have had any interference due to lacking competencies for it; therefore, a violation of the fundamental rights of the inhabitants of Cartago cannot be attributed to them. 3. The actions deployed by the MIVAH and INVU, in the specific case, constitute, within the scope of their competencies, actions of inter-institutional coordination and means so that the competent bodies may carry out the corresponding works regarding the Bono Comunal in the Parque Metropolitano Los Diques, without such actions carrying or entailing a violation of fundamental rights".
It requests that the appeal be declared without merit. 6.- By document incorporated into the electronic file on October 13, 2023, Nayuribe Guadamuz Rosales, in her capacity as Minister of Culture and Youth, reports under oath that "According to institutional archives, the participation of the Ministry I represent in the project called Parque Metropolitano los Diques has been limited to ensuring that, once the project is completed, spaces will be sought to promote art and culture, as indicated by the previous Head of this Ministry in official letter DM-1129-2020 dated November 25, 2020, to Mr. Mario Redondo Poveda, Mayor of the province of Cartago. It is important to clarify that this Ministry has not committed resources from its budget for the development of said park. Likewise, hereby, I submit to your court the REPORT No. DG-2023-O-444, dated October 12, 2023, prepared and rendered under the responsibility of Ms.
Ifigenia Quintanilla Jiménez, General Director of the National Museum of Costa Rica, a decentralized body of this Ministry, in compliance with what was ordered by the resolution issued at 18:33 hours on October 5, 2023, regarding the Recurso de Amparo filed by Mr. [Name 001] against this Ministry, as stated in court file No. 23-019820-0007-CO". It requests that the appeal be declared without merit. 7.- By document incorporated into the electronic file on October 13, 2023, Franz Tattenbach Capra, in his capacity as Minister of Environment and Energy, reports under oath that "SECOND: In the present case, it is important to note that the undersigned cannot attest to any of the facts alleged by the appellant, since upon analyzing the facts alleged by the appellant, it has been possible to verify that Mr. [Name 001] has not submitted any petition to this Office regarding the facts appealed in the present recurso de amparo.
From the foregoing, it is clear that this Ministerial Office was never informed by the appellant of the tasks alleged in the present recurso de amparo, a situation which makes it impossible for the undersigned to take the actions legally required. THIRD: Regarding the facts alleged by the appellant in the present recurso de amparo, it is appropriate to clarify to the honorable Constitutional Chamber that from the analysis of the recurso de amparo, it can be inferred that the appealed facts fall under the exclusive competence of the Municipality of Cartago and the Municipal Council of said Municipality, as is clear from the petitions made by Mr. [Name 001] in the present recurso de amparo, since in none of them is an omission by the Ministry I represent mentioned. FOURTH: In the case at hand, it is important to emphasize that while it is true that Article 1 of the Organic Environmental Law No. 7554 of 1995 establishes that through the cited law, an effort will be made to provide Costa Ricans and the State with the necessary instruments to achieve a healthy and ecologically balanced environment, it is also true that Article 50 of the Political Constitution provides that persons are entitled to denounce acts that infringe this right, known as diffuse rights.
This did not occur in the present case, since Mr. [Name 001] never filed a complaint through Administrative channels before this Ministry, a situation that makes it impossible to take environmental measures. FIFTH: Regarding the constitutional principle established in Article 50 of our Magna Carta, to the effect that the State shall guarantee, defend, and preserve the right of people to live in a healthy and ecologically balanced environment, it is clear that this principle shall be guaranteed through the state entities competent in the respective matter. In this sense, the honorable Constitutional Chamber, through resolution 2007-015542, issued at seventeen hours thirty-six minutes on October thirtieth, two thousand seven, resolved the following: "…Complaints are means used by citizens to bring to the Administration's attention facts that the complainant considers irregular or illegal, with the aim of urging the exercise of competencies, normally disciplinary or sanctioning, vested in public bodies.
On occasions, the complaint even constitutes a duty for those who, due to their function or activity, have knowledge of those facts, but in other cases it is rather a means based on the democratic principle (it should not be forgotten in this regard that public officials are mere depositaries of that authority). Notwithstanding the foregoing, it cannot be denied that complaints, like requests for information, administrative claims, and applications for the granting of certain rights, are included within the generic concept of petition established in Article 27 of the Constitution, with its correlative right to obtain a response as a complement to the exercise of the right to petition. Even though in the cited cases the deadline is clearly established in legislation, in the case of complaints, which are nonetheless a form of petition, there is no established legal deadline, neither specifically nor in a supplementary or generic form, so in these cases it must necessarily be assessed whether the time taken by the Administration to resolve a specific complaint is excessive or not for the purposes of exercising the legitimate right to complain and to obtain a response from the Administration…" "IV.
In this specific case, as shown in the records, the situation occurring at the site of the events was known to the local government…" "VI. The foregoing leads us to uphold the appeal solely against the respondent Municipality…" Therefore: The appeal is upheld solely against the Municipality of Alajuela…" SIXTH: That by official letter SETENA-SG-0970-2023, dated October 11, 2023, Eng. Ulises Alvarez Acosta, in his capacity as General Secretary of SETENA, reported the following: "…Second: On the merits of the allegations: Initially it is worthwhile indicating that the allegations made by the appellant have no relation to the competencies of the Secretaría Técnica Nacional Ambiental; and in that line, the contribution that SETENA can provide regarding the appeal in question is to indicate that on February 16, 2022, an Evaluation form for the project called Parque Metropolitano Los Diques was submitted to SETENA; it was presented by the Municipality of Cartago and was assigned administrative file No. D1-088-2022-SETENA.
On June 30, 2022, through resolution No. 1112-2022-SETENA at 09 hours 19 minutes, environmental license viability (Viabilidad Licencia Ambiental) was granted to the project through the approval of the document evaluating the Sworn Declaration of Environmental Commitments (Declaración Jurada de Compromisos Ambientales) submitted for environmental evaluation by the developer, under the following description: Project name: Parque Metropolitano Los Diques Location: Province: Cartago Canton: Cartago District: SAN NICOLÁS Coordinates: Long. 506997.04739099 Lat. 1091443.5789279 Cadastral map number: C-2233308-2020, C-2237310-2020, C2239387-2020, C-2236037-2020, C-2241208-2020 Property number: 268252---000, 23696---000, 268578---000, 268595--- 000, 27890---000 Property size according to map (m2): 515.00 Project area according to design (m2): 515 CIIU classification and project category: 4510(CIIU4 4312) = B2 SIA score: 202 Project description: The practice of this type of urban park registers various activities and provides facilities for sports and leisure for people and families, promotes the permanent use of the lands, in addition, these areas can be highly beneficial in promoting education, in aspects of environmental management, risks, and others, in an open environment, where anyone has direct access to sectors where the history of the place is displayed.
It is clarified that the project will not encompass the dike and will be only in the central part; the project does not contemplate in the first stage, a housing phase or the relocation of families. The earthworks (movimientos de tierras) are around 515 square meters, where many of the areas will be composed of green zones, except for buildings such as bathrooms, sidewalks, courts, parking lots, etc. The project called Parque Metropolitano Los Diques, San Nicolás, Cartago, Cartago, is an urban planning project that promotes various activities and provides facilities for sports and leisure for people and families; in addition, these areas can be highly beneficial in promoting education, in aspects of environmental management, risks, and others, in an open environment, where anyone has direct access to sectors where the history of the place is displayed. To this end, it is desired to build the following infrastructure: 1.
The construction of trails and an amphitheater. 2. A construction of bathroom facilities. 3. Guard booths. 4. Earthworks (Movimiento de tierra) of 1600 m3. These complementary works are minor works, but earthworks (movimiento de tierra) of 1600 m3 are intended to be carried out. The construction stage is expected to be quick; among the materials to be used, a lot of welding, metallic structures, iron and steel rods, cement, zinc, mesh, and electrical accessories for lighting are needed; the land use (uso de suelo) is in accordance with that established by the municipality. The validity of the granted environmental license viability (Viabilidad Licencia Ambiental) was given for a term of five years, and upon reviewing SETENA's records with the collaboration of the Technical Departments, there is no record that an environmental logbook (bitácora ambiental) has been submitted to SETENA, with which the subsequent enabling of the same has not occurred; a situation indicating the start of works.
With the above information, it is concluded that this Secretariat acted in conformity within its competencies. Third: Conclusions Based on all the foregoing, it is concluded that SETENA acted as technically and legally appropriate, and to date there is no record that the enabling of the environmental logbook (bitácora ambiental), which implies the start of works, has been requested…" SEVENTH: That by official letter SINAC-ACC-DTEC-of-052-2023, dated October 12, 2023, Lic. Redy Alonso Conejo Aguilar, in his capacity as Technical Director of the Central Conservation Area (Área de Conservación Central), of the National System of Conservation Areas (Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación), stated the following: "… Subject: Consultation regarding the Metropolitan Park in the National Reserve of the Reventado River Basin known as "Los Diques". In response to the emails requesting to inform the minister regarding the "Los Diques" issue, on the matter we have: 1.
The existence of Law No. 3459 of November 26, 1964. National reserve margins of the Reventado River, Cartago 2. The existence of the Regulation for Land Use (Uso Suelo) and Construction in the Reventado River Basin No. 22834-MOPT-MVAH Likewise, at present this area is not a management category in accordance with Article 32 of the Organic Environmental Law and/or the regulation of the Biodiversity Law. Nor is there a file with the existence of technical studies accrediting it as a Protected Wild Area (Área Silvestre Protegida) in accordance with Article 36 of the Organic Environmental Law…" EIGHTH: That with respect to the right of petition, the honorable Constitutional Chamber has been developing and providing content to the aforementioned right of petition, thus it is held that it comprises the possibility of presenting and requesting various actions before the Public Administration, without this entailing the obligation to resolve in accordance with what was requested by the Citizen.
In that sense, resolution No. 2004-03538, issued at fourteen hours thirty minutes on April thirteenth, two thousand four, of this Constitutional Chamber, ruled: "The right of petition, established in Article 27 of the Constitution, refers to the capacity that every citizen possesses to address in writing any public official or official entity in order to present a matter of their interest. This guarantee is complemented by the right to obtain prompt response, although the latter does not mean that the citizen must receive a response favorable to their interests. In other words, it is the right to ask and not the right to obtain what is asked —even though the public official must resolve with strict adherence to the law—, since freedom of petition is based on another principle; that is, that the Administration cannot curtail the right of the governed to address public bodies." In the same vein, ruling No. 2004-07296 issued at eight hours fifty-six minutes on July second, two thousand four, of this respectable Court indicated: "In any case, the duty to resolve does not imply obtaining a favorable response or not, but rather the necessary congruence between the object of what was requested and that of what was answered." On the other hand, the doctrine developed in light of constitutional jurisprudence indicates that the right of petition is materialized not in the satisfaction of the applicant's request but in the timely response thereto from the Administration within a reasonable time, in which case the time to respond is strictly related to the specific characteristics and nature of the request, considering its complexity and institutional consequences, which under no circumstances is interpreted as a license to violate the fundamental right of the applicant (…)".
It requests that the appeal be declared without merit. 8.- By document incorporated into the electronic file on October 16, 2023, Mario Redondo Poveda, in his capacity as mayor, and Jonathan Arce Moya, in his capacity as president of the Council, both of the Municipality of Cartago, report under oath that "we are, again, facing mere speculations and assessments by the appellant who, even, uses words or phrases such as lack of management by the Mayor's Office 'before the various binding technical units', as if that existed in Law, ignoring, in turn, the hierarchy and greater competence of that body in terms of canon 17 a) of the Municipal Code -CM- and, even worse, suggests further violation because an expired! agreement was not contracted (the appellant intends for an agreement that he himself acknowledges no longer has legal effects; it expired! to be contracted), thereby wanting to imply that rights to a healthy environment and a risk to the life and health of the inhabitants of Los Diques are violated, which he evidently and again does not prove AND DOES NOT DERIVE even from the denounced facts.
That is, I reiterate, they are the appellant's assessments and speculations that fail to demonstrate their relationship with Constitutional Law because, as he himself recognizes, the modification of the budget items was authorized by law, that is, by the legislator according to their constitutional competencies established in Articles 105 and 121.1 of the Political Constitution. Ergo, the act reproached in this venue DOES NOT emanate, because it evidently CANNOT be so, from the commune but from the First Power of the Republic in exercise of its constitutional powers, without this being invalidated because the Municipal Government (Council and Mayor according to Article 12 of the CM) had requested the questioned modification; a questioning that, as already stated, is foreign to the amparo venue and is proper to the acción de inconstitucionalidad or the contentious-administrative action depending on how it is presented (…) Observe in this section it is verified, again, what was said supra: the appellant alleges a violation of due process regarding the budget modification without explaining, detailing, and substantiating what this 'due process of budget modification' is and how it was supposedly violated in this case.
In the same vein, he speaks of 'binding' regulations, with which, again, he uses a term that he neither substantiates in the appeal nor, clearly, can be so unfoundedly alleged to claim, according to his mere discourse, that this 'binding' regulation has the effect of violating the due process of budget modification because he does not even detail it, much less establishes a logical link between such regulation and the violation of that due process he cites. As if that were not enough, again, this is not a matter for a recurso de amparo because, I reiterate: the amparo avenue is not the appropriate and proper one to attribute errors —according to the appellant—, within the legislative process of creating a budget modification law. No. As simple as that, the amparo was not designed for this, and therefore, in that manner, any objection must be taken to the venue of the acción de inconstitucionalidad, not to an amparo, by express provisions of the Constitutional Jurisdiction Law: 'Article 29.
The recurso de amparo guarantees the fundamental rights and freedoms referred to in this law, except those protected by habeas corpus (…) Clearly, the claims, for their part, are improper for an amparo and demonstrate what has been sustained ab abundantiam: the appellant has made constitutionality arguments regarding a law, to the effect that by virtue of Law No. 10035, which includes the budget modification of which he complains in the amparo venue, both, according to him, I insist, the 'due process of budget modification', and fundamental rights to a healthy environment and to the life and health of the residents of Los Diques of the Reventado River have been violated, aspects that, as has been seen, CANNOT be reviewed in the amparo venue but are proper to the acción de inconstitucionalidad. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and solely to provide greater clarity in the face of the appellant's mere assertions, we have that: 1.
By means of report AM-INF-223-2021 dated July 29, 2021, signed by the person who signs this response as Municipal Mayor, a request is made to the Municipal Council to agree to submit the respective authorization by municipal agreement to the Permanent Commission on Treasury Affairs of the Legislative Assembly, for the purpose of modifying (redistributing) partially the destination of the resources of the Project Parque Metropolitano los Diques. 2. By means of the agreement contained in Article No. 5 of Minute No. 96-2021, held on August 3, 2021, by the Municipal Council of Cartago in Ordinary Session, it approved report AM-INF-223-2021, with the following being duly recorded: (…) 3. The Legislative Assembly through the approval and publication of the Fifth Extraordinary Budget of the Republic for the fiscal year 2021 and sixth legislative modification of Law No. 9926 'Law of Ordinary and Extraordinary Budget of the Republic for the Fiscal Year 2021' Law No. 10035, according to Digital Scope No. 175 to La Gaceta No. 170 of September 3, 2021 (File No. 22603).
(…) 4. From this authorization, we proceeded to coordinate with the government institutions involved to carry out the pertinent coordination efforts among the heads of entities, project formulation, procedures and permits, planning, execution, monitoring and control, closure and start of operations, and to achieve the objectives of the assigned budget. In relation to the issue of oversight, execution, and traceability of the assigned resources, I will clarify this point: 1. Parque Metropolitano Los Diques, in coordination with the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements. The risk studies and management of the Reventado River Basin in coordination with the Comisión Nacional de Emergencias. The Centro de Interpretación Agua Caliente Project (Agua Caliente Archaeological Monument), in coordination with the General Directorate of the National Museum, Ministry of Culture and Youth. 5. In the case of MIVAH, that body received the profile of the sports and recreational project in Taras and Los Diques with the new proposal and scope for the use of the funds (¢1,100 million), which was sent via official letter AM-OF-794-2023.
It is important to note that, due to the change of Ministers at MIVAH, the project has suffered a series of delays according to the new proposal. 6. Likewise, the National Museum agreed to receive the profile with the comprehensive management project for the 10 hectares that make up the Agua Caliente Archaeological Monument (¢700 million). The profile is in the process of being presented and approved by the Minister of Culture and Youth. 7. In the case of the studies and risk management of the Reventado River Basin (¢200 million), where Los Diques is located, a technical strategy was formulated according to our market for conducting various sequential studies, initially topographic studies with LIDAR technology (drones), which are currently underway, and subsequently with this input, contracting deterministic analysis studies based on flow models with specialized software that will allow assessing the structural state of the dikes and other elements as well as the impact on the entire basin in the event of a lahar event like the one that occurred in 1963; this will allow prioritizing investments in the basin and the degree of risk faced by all inhabitants of the city of Cartago, as economic, environmental, and social losses in the case of a natural disaster by avalanche or lahar can also be projected.
These are managed by the Urban Planning Office in coordination with the School of Geography of the UCR. 8. Currently, the park process responsibly continues its course with contracts associated with the environmental component and inter-institutional coordination to guarantee, as far as possible, the investments, which in this case remain within the margins of the Reserva del Rio Reventado until the results of these are known. 9. The Parque Metropolitano los Diques is not oriented exclusively to the inhabitants of Los Diques; it actually seeks the coexistence of the entire population of Cartago under the principle of urban regeneration. 10. The Parque Metropolitano los Diques as a strategy for risk management and urban and ecological regeneration is not unfeasible from the municipal technical criteria and more properly from the perspective of the Urban Planning Office. In this sense, conducting complementary studies to the existing hydraulic studies is necessary; it is always good given the origin of the Reserve and its natural cycles of events associated with floods and landslides; this will make it possible to secure the investments that are programmed or to reject them if necessary, by all the involved entities. 11.
The Parque Metropolitano los Diques as a public space already exists; what is required is to add value to it and for the people of Cartago to appropriate the site by creating a sufficient offer of services and recreation in a safe and friendly environment, otherwise we will continue to feed an inadequate behavior of the reserve in environmental and social terms. 12. The Archaeological Museum or Archaeological Interpretation Center project is an initiative of the National Museum and the municipal Mayor's Office under the Cantonal Strategic Plan, and is also part of the biological corridor Cobricsura that connects with the Reserva nacional del rio Reventado, so both institutions find it favorable to promote a development hub in the district of San Francisco and thus reactivate the economy of this district through the enhancement of our archaeological and biological history, and therefore of the canton in general.
In this sense, it is of great significance for cultural heritage and tourism promotion. From the foregoing, a coordinated municipal action with the competent entities is evident, and especially, even on the concrete level, that is, of municipal facts and actions, the recurso de amparo is utterly unfounded". They request that the appeal be declared without merit. 9.- By record of October 24, 2023, it was recorded that there is no evidence that the general director of the National Museum has submitted any document to render the report requested by this Chamber. 10.- By document incorporated into the electronic file on November 17, 2023, José David Rodríguez Morera, in his capacity as vice minister, and Yolanda González Castro, in her capacity as Administrative Financial Director, both of the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements, report under oath that "In this regard, we are allowed to point out that the main report for said hearing granted so that the authorities of the Ministry may refer to the extremes alleged by the appellant in the present recurso de amparo, was duly addressed by Ms.
Minister Ángela Mata Montero in the Report rendered on October 12, 2023, which is duly communicated in the respective system of the Judicial Branch as seen in the file of the present recurso de amparo.
Regarding the report requested from the Vice Minister of Housing and Human Settlements, it should be noted that at the time of notification of this amparo action, due to changes that occurred in the hierarchy of the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements, the Executive Branch had not designated a head to occupy that position in the Ministry, which is why it was materially impossible for the currently designated Vice Minister to become aware of such resolution and for the notification to produce the material effects established by the legal system, a reason for which the Magistrates are respectfully informed of said material impossibility of answering the report within the required time; however, in view of the report rendered by Minister Ángela Mata, I allow myself to inform the magistrates that for the purposes of said requirement, we extend the statements made in the ample report rendered by this Ministry so that the hearing granted may be considered answered.
Likewise, regarding the Administrative Financial Director, we allow ourselves to inform the Magistrates that the report rendered by the Minister of Housing and Human Settlements, on October 12, 2023, regarding the Ministry's participation in the substantive matter subject of this amparo action, regarding the approach to the financial aspects of what was alleged by the petitioner, said Directorate intervened and participated with the contribution of the corresponding inputs in the preparation of the cited report, as can be seen in the specific part where the technical-financial scopes that were set forth are explained and which, as relevant, are cited in this report, a response that for the purposes of what is reported here, is extended, stating as relevant that: "On the modifications to the budgetary economic content of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park project. Regarding the reference provided by the petitioner here, identified as (Exhibit No. 08) in which it indicates that: 'a hearing was granted to the vice minister of MIVAH, for the presentation of the project and the signing of a cooperation agreement between MIVAH and the local government of Cartago, for the development of the park of interest.
Official letter No. MIVAH DVMVAH-0002-2020 was noted, in which reference was made to Article 29 of Law No. 9635 concerning the oversight duty of MIVAH as grantor of transferred public resources, as well as the exercise of direction and coordination of these and the results obtained from their application; in addition to instructing the indicated ministry on accountability before the General Budget Directorate of the Ministry of Finance, through the submission of the respective monitoring and evaluation reports requested by the technical rector (see exhibit No. 8).' In relation to said criterion, it is observed that it lacks binding force, coupled with the fact that the norm on which it is based, Article 29 of Law No. 9635, is established for the prior justification established by the granting Administration, but for an exclusive dedication contract for a public servant or official, and not for budgetary transfers specifically authorized by ordinary budget law, for which reason it is clarified that said criterion does not have the binding force to compel what is expressed therein given that it is not issued by the Advisory Body of the State or the Rector Body on the matter, in addition to the fact that the interpretation given is far from the content regulated in the norm and what was established by the legislator, whose purpose is another, consisting of regulating exclusive dedication contracts granted by the Administration to public servants.
On the contrary, the normative basis for monitoring the development of works financed through a capital transfer is found in Article 29 of the Technical Guidelines for the Budget of the Republic, issued by the Ministry of Finance for the 2020 budget, which in its content states: 'Article 29-On the measurement of oversight and monitoring of resources transferred by ministries. The rector ministers and the ministries granting resources and transfers must exercise the functions of direction, coordination, and oversight over the transferred resources and the results obtained through their execution, for which reason they must establish internal mechanisms to carry out such monitoring and render the respective account before this Directorate, through the monitoring and evaluation reports according to the instructions that this rector entity will issue in due course (...) Actions developed on the occasion of the specific case in the alleged omission, as well as the internal procedure of MIVAH for the functioning and operation of transfers.
Regarding the monitoring of the actions developed and established in the Interinstitutional Cooperation Agreement between the Municipality of Cartago and MIVAH within the framework of the capital transfers thus established for the development of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park, it is established that the personnel of the Directorate of Integrated Territory Management of this Ministry is responsible for monitoring, and the Administrative Financial Directorate is responsible for the transfers. It is important to outline some financial aspects for the Los Diques Metropolitan Park, as indicated by the Head of the Financial Department of MIVAH, reported via email on October 10 of the current year, on the occasion of this amparo action, that as has been indicated, through the Budget Law for the 2020 Fiscal Year, an amount of: ¢2,000,000,000.00 (two billion colones) was authorized to this Ministry in order to carry out a capital transfer to the Municipality of Cartago, for the following concept: '(FOR PROJECT FOR WORKS OF THE LOS DIQUES DE CARTAGO SUBREGIONAL PARK, DIRECTIVE 027-MS-MIVAH OF 03/25/2008 AND ACCORDING TO ARTICLES No. 22, 23 and 24 OF TITLE IV OF LAW No. 9635 "LAW FOR STRENGTHENING PUBLIC FINANCES" OF DECEMBER 3, 2018).' Once the legal backing elements of the legality block of the expenditure APPROVAL were fulfilled, this Ministry proceeded with the disbursement of the entirety of the aforementioned amount in favor of the cited Local Government; said disbursement was made on December 29, 2020, through proposal No. 15U04; said proposal was communicated that same day, both to the heads of MIVAH and to the mayor and officials involved in the process on the part of the Municipality of Cartago.
The aforementioned disbursement was made to account No. 73911330100069969 that the Local Government opened in the State Single Treasury for such purposes. Regarding subsequent disbursements beyond what is indicated in the previously mentioned points, it must be indicated that neither this Department nor the DAF have any interference whatsoever; since said account, being domiciled in the State Single Treasury and being the property of the Municipality of Cartago, the coordination of the disbursements must be carried out by the Local Government directly with the National Treasury of the Ministry of Finance, therefore, MIVAH has no relationship or participation whatsoever in said actions. Likewise, and due to its importance in relation to what was stated by the petitioner here, it is necessary to understand the current state of the financial resources for the indicated project, and for such purpose, the Executive Report 'Capital Transfer Municipality of Cartago' prepared by the Administrative Financial Directorate of MIVAH, signed on August 1, 2022, is provided, which arrives at the following conclusions and recommendations: 'Conclusions 1- The transfer was made by the Ministry as indicated by the 2020 Budget Law at the time, as well as the agreement signed between both parties and with the respective legal backing. 2- The agreement signed between the parties is currently expired; likewise, within it, obligations of mandatory compliance were agreed upon by the parties, among them, that the transfer would be used solely for the purpose indicated in the law initially, as well as that in the event of budgetary shortfalls to cover the total cost of the project, said shortfall should be covered by the Municipality. 3- The Municipality of Cartago processed before the Legislative Assembly the change in the use of the transferred funds; said change was endorsed by the Legislative Power, whose decree was published in the Official Gazette La Gaceta No. 170, Scope No. 175, on September 3, 2021.
The aforementioned change represents a total of 45% of the initially transferred funds, that is, an affectation amounting to ¢900 million, which leaves only an amount of ¢1,100 million for the achievement of the work proposed by the Budget Law and the agreement signed between the parties. 4- MIVAH has made several inquiries about the responsibility for monitoring the transferred funds according to the variation made by the Local Government and approved by the Legislative Power, the foregoing, both to the General Directorate of the National Budget, as well as to the Comptroller General of the Republic; from these inquiries, it is inferred that MIVAH is responsible for monitoring the entirety of the funds until the funds subjected to the variation made were approved by the Comptroller General of the Republic, a situation that has already occurred, therefore, currently, monitoring must only be given to the funds that correspond to the originally proposed project, that is, MIVAH must only be responsible for the ¢1,100,000,000. 5- The local government issues a Report through which it indicates that to date, an expenditure has been made for an amount of ¢61,848,822.00 for engineering services, which leaves a balance of: ¢1,038,151,178.
Likewise, through said report, it is indicated that the cost of the project amounts to more than ¢4 billion colones, and to continue the same, MIVAH is required to disburse the missing amount; it is also indicated that there is no clarity on whether the land is a biological reserve. 6- There are several reports presented by the technical areas of MIVAH to the Ministerial authorities, reporting on the conditions set forth above. Recommendations Taking into account what is set forth in this report, it is determined that, given the variation in the use of the funds approved by the Legislative Assembly, it is materially impossible to conclude the project agreed upon between the parties; because the same amounts to a figure greater than what was transferred by MIVAH initially. The variation made decreased the amount enabled for this work, and as indicated by the Local Government itself, for the project to be viable, the Ministry must transfer the missing amount required for such purposes.
From the foregoing, it is inferred that there is a breach of the agreement signed by the parties, since the same indicated that the initially transferred funds were solely and exclusively for the agreed project, as well as that, in the event of shortfalls to finish said project, it would be the Local Government responsible for covering said shortfall; on this particular point, it is suggested to elevate the same to the Ministry's legal consultation. As a result of the various inquiries made to the rector and oversight entities on the matter, that is, the General Directorate of the National Budget and Comptroller General of the Republic respectively, it is concluded that MIVAH is responsible solely for monitoring the ¢1,100,000,000 endorsed for the work initially agreed upon between the parties. In accordance with the foregoing, it is considered relevant to communicate the provisions issued by the entities described above and given the variation made in the amount, which was assigned to new projects, for which the National Emergency Commission would be responsible, as well as the Ministry of Culture and Youth / National Museum of Costa Rica; this notification is suggested to be made with a copy to the General Directorate of the National Budget and Comptroller General of the Republic, Internal Audit, and the Municipality of Cartago, this in order to delimit and assign responsibilities, according to the scope of competence of each entity.
In the same vein, and regarding the amount for which MIVAH is responsible for monitoring, it is suggested to analyze the possibility of MIVAH coordinating with the National Treasury and the Municipality of Cartago, the return by the latter entity to the State Single Treasury, of the existing balance of the aforementioned amount to date.' From the foregoing, we express that, as authorities of the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements, within the matter subject of this amparo action, we have acted within the strict scope of our administrative competences, without influencing other areas or affecting any fundamental right invoked by the petitioner, arriving at the following conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: By virtue of what has been set forth, it can be concluded, without a doubt, that: 1. This Ministry has not violated constitutional rights or guarantees invoked by the petitioner here, since in respect of the principle of legality, the competences and actions authorized by the legal system were deployed. 2.
We extend to this report the statements made by the head of the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements in the report of October 12 of this year regarding the substance of this amparo action. 3. The modification of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Budget Law of the Republic for the redistribution of capital transfers made to the Municipality of Cartago is a competence coordinated between the Local Government and the Legislative Assembly in which the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements has directly had no interference due to lacking competence for it; consequently, and being an act in which this Ministry has had no intervention, a violation of the fundamental rights of the inhabitants of Cartago cannot be attributed to it. 4. The actions deployed by the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements in the specific case constitute, within the scope of its competences, actions of interinstitutional coordination and means so that the competent bodies can carry out the corresponding works related to the Communal Voucher (Bono Comunal) in the Los Diques Metropolitan Park, without such actions entailing or involving a violation of fundamental rights.
Therefore, let the hearing granted be considered answered, and the respective report rendered and amplified in what concerns the authorities of the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements." They request that the appeal be dismissed.
Drafted by Magistrate Delgado Faith; and,
Considering:
I.Preliminary matter. Given that the general director of the National Museum omitted to render the report within the period established by this Court in the course resolution of this matter, in accordance with Article 45 of the Law of Constitutional Jurisdiction, we proceed to analyze the constitutionality of the matter based on the other elements provided to the record.
II.Object of the appeal. The petitioner believes that the rights of the inhabitants of Cartago are being violated due to the budgetary modification allocated for the construction of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park, which was transferred to the Municipality of Cartago since 2020 according to Law 9926 so that, in complement with municipal resources, the execution of said park could begin, under the control of the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the National Emergency Commission, the National Institute of Housing and Urbanism, and the Ministry of Culture and Youth. He states that the purpose of the project is to prevent the national reserve of the Reventado River from continuing to be invaded and to provide good urban control and risk management to the community of Cartago. He accuses that with the budget that remained due to the budgetary modification, it cannot be executed. For the reasons stated, he requests the intervention of the Chamber.
The development proposal for the Los Diques Metropolitan Park seeks to provide the area with multiple cultural, economic, social, and environmental functions and to consolidate the National Reserve of the Reventado River as an intermediate biological corridor of the watershed, to contribute to the national carbon neutrality goals, opening it to the general public, to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants through green spaces of greater availability, quality, safety, and accessibility in the province of Cartago (see reports rendered under oath); The development proposal for the Los Diques Metropolitan Park does not entail eviction processes, so a subsequent stage must be managed to seek a housing solution for the informal settlements existing in the Los Diques area (relocation of the settlements) (see reports rendered under oath); On December 1, 2020, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements, and the Municipality of Cartago signed the agreement called "SPECIFIC INTERINSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORT, THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, AND THE MUNICIPALITY OF CARTAGO, WHICH FORMALIZES THE PRECARIOUS LOAN OF LAND AND THE ADVICE AND ACCOMPANIMENT FOR THE ATTENTION TO THE PROTECTION ZONE OF THE REVENTADO RIVER IN THE CENTRAL CANTON OF CARTAGO, THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND LEGAL ASPECTS", in which the following was determined as the object: "FIRST: OBJECT.
The object of this agreement is to regulate the conditions under which a specific interinstitutional cooperation agreement will operate, in which MOPT, MIVAH, and the Municipality will join efforts according to their competences so that different projects materialize, both environmental, as well as maintenance, avoidance of invasions, and sports infrastructure. This participation will be subject to the competences of each Institution, to the budgetary availability and resources they have. / All interventions that the Signing Parties will develop will be executed with the intention of achieving better environmental, social, legal, material, and any other conditions, for the Canton of Cartago, specifically along the banks of the Reventado River of Cartago, an area called 'Los Disques' (see reports rendered under oath); On an undetermined date, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport granted the Municipality of Cartago, as a precarious loan, a total of 28 properties registered in its name and duly surveyed, conferring upon the local government the administration of the loaned lands so that it may build infrastructure works contained in the Los Diques Metropolitan Park project (see reports rendered under oath); Through a capital transfer to account no. 73911330100069969 from the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements to the Municipality of Cartago, the amount of ¢2,000 million was allocated to finance the first stage of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park project, which consists of trails, reforestation of the river protection zones, sports courts, fairground, amphitheater, picnic areas, and shelter (see reports rendered under oath); The amount of the ¢2,000 million was conceived by the Ordinary and Extraordinary Budget Law for the 2020 Fiscal Year (Law No. 9791 of November 26, 2019) (see reports rendered under oath); On an undetermined date, the Municipality of Cartago carried out the preliminary draft, which gave way to the preparation of the bidding documents for the design of construction plans and the construction of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park project (see reports rendered under oath); Through report no. AM-INF-223-2021 of July 29, 2021, the mayor of the Municipality of Cartago presented a request before the Council to agree to elevate the respective authorization to the Permanent Commission on Financial Affairs of the Legislative Assembly in order to partially modify (redistribute) the destination of the resources of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park project (see reports rendered under oath); Through the agreement contained in article no. 5 of act no. 96-2021, held on August 3, 2021, the Council of the Municipality of Cartago approved report no. AM-INF-223-2021 (see reports rendered under oath); The Legislative Assembly approved and published the fifth extraordinary budget of the Republic for the 2021 fiscal year and the sixth legislative modification of Law No. 9926 "Ordinary and Extraordinary Budget Law of the Republic for the 2021 Fiscal Year," which was published in the Official Gazette La Gaceta No. 170, scope no. 175 on September 3, 2021 (see reports rendered under oath); The change requested by the Municipality of Cartago represented a total of 45% of the funds for the Los Diques Metropolitan Park project, leaving an amount of ¢1,100 million (see reports rendered under oath); Through resolution no. 1112-2022-SETENA at 09:19 hours on June 30, 2022, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA) granted environmental viability (viabilidad ambiental) to the Los Diques Metropolitan Park project, which was granted for a period of 5 years (see reports rendered under oath); The authorities of the Municipality of Cartago reported that "8.
Currently, the park process responsibly continues its course with contracts associated with the environmental component and interinstitutional coordination to guarantee, as far as possible, the investments, which in this case remain within the boundaries of the Reventado River Reserve until the results of these are known (…) 10. The Los Diques Metropolitan Park as a risk management and urban and ecological regeneration strategy is not unviable from the municipal technical criterion and more specifically from the perspective of the Urban Planning Office. In this sense, carrying out complementary studies to the existing hydraulic studies is necessary and always good given the origin of the Reserve and its natural cycles of events associated with floods and landslides; this will allow securing the investments that are programmed or dismissing them if necessary by all involved entities. 11. The Los Diques Metropolitan Park as a public space already exists; what is required is to enhance its value and for the people of Cartago to take ownership of the site by creating a sufficient supply of services and recreation under a safe and friendly environment; otherwise, we will continue to feed an inappropriate behavior of the reserve in environmental and social terms" (see reports rendered under oath).
IV.On the specific case. In the sub lite, the petitioner believes that the rights of the inhabitants of Cartago are being violated due to the budgetary modification allocated for the construction of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park, which was transferred to the Municipality of Cartago since 2020 according to Law 9926 so that, in complement with municipal resources, the execution of said park could begin, under the control of the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the National Emergency Commission, the National Institute of Housing and Urbanism, and the Ministry of Culture and Youth. He states that the purpose of the project is to prevent the national reserve of the Reventado River from continuing to be invaded and to provide good urban control and risk management to the community of Cartago. He accuses that with the budget that remained due to the budgetary modification, it cannot be executed. For the reasons stated, he requests the intervention of the Chamber.
In this regard, from the reports rendered under oath and the evidence provided to the file, this Court does not consider that there is any injury to the fundamental rights of the amparo petitioner. In that sense, it is important to highlight that the petitioner raises this process generically without individualizing any specific situation of injury or threat to his fundamental rights with respect to the authorities of the National Commission for Risk Prevention and Emergency Response, the National Institute of Housing and Urbanism, the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Ministry of Culture and Youth, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Settlements, the Municipality of Cartago, or the National Museum. It is noted that from a reading of the filing brief, the allegations made by the petitioner are aimed at questioning the budgetary modification allocated for the construction of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park and the actions of the Municipality of Cartago regarding the execution of the Los Diques Metropolitan Park project.
On this point, in the first place, this Court observes that the budgetary modification being challenged was permitted and approved by the Legislative Assembly - publication made in the Official Gazette La Gaceta No. 170, scope no. 175 on September 3, 2021. In this sense, any questioning regarding the actions carried out by the Municipality of Cartago or the authorities related to the protection of this law, or any disagreement related to the execution or non-execution of the budget items provided by the legislator for the project in question, are far from being aspects of constitutionality, as they are clearly conflicts of legality that must be raised and resolved before the corresponding ordinary instances; it is evident that it is not for this Chamber to determine the advisability or not of certain budgetary modifications approved by the legislator in the exercise of their own competences, and even less so, to verify whether the budget items have been executed or not, as knowing and ruling on this type of allegations is the competence of the administrative or judicial bodies within the scope of ordinary legality.
In addition to this, contrary to what was alleged by the petitioner, the authorities of the Municipality of Cartago reported under the solemnity of oath that "8.
Currently, the park process continues its course responsibly with contracts associated with the environmental component and inter-institutional coordination to guarantee, as far as possible, the investments, which in this case remain within the margins of the Reventado River Reserve until the results of these are known (…) 10. The Parque Metropolitano los Diques as a risk management and urban and ecological regeneration strategy is not unviable from the technical municipal criterion and more properly from the perspective of the Office of Urban Planning (Oficina de Planificación Urbana). In this regard, conducting complementary studies to the existing hydraulic studies is necessary and always good given the origin of the Reserve and its natural cycles of events associated with floods and landslides; this will allow securing the investments that are programmed or discarding them, if that were the case, on the part of all the entities involved. 11. The Parque Metropolitano los Diques as a public space already exists; what is required is to put it in value and for the people of Cartago to appropriate the site by creating a sufficient offering of services and recreation within a safe and friendly environment; otherwise, we will continue to fuel inappropriate behavior of the reserve in environmental and social terms” (the highlighting does not belong to the original).
From what has been stated, it should be noted that the purpose of the amparo remedy is to provide timely protection against direct violations or threats to fundamental rights and freedoms, not to serve as a generic instrument to channel petitions or complaints of other types. In that regard, it must be clarified that this Court is not a processing instance for this type of disagreements or denunciations. The foregoing, without a doubt, is alien both to the summary nature of the amparo process and to the competence of this specialized jurisdiction, enshrined by the Law of Constitutional Jurisdiction (Ley de la Jurisdicción Constitucional) and the Political Constitution (Constitución Política) itself. If you remain dissatisfied with the actions of the Municipality of Cartago, you, the petitioner, may, if you deem it appropriate, formally file the complaint or denunciation so that the corresponding matter is resolved.
This is because, unlike what was alleged by the appellant, it has been duly accredited that the respondent authorities who signed the respective agreement carried out actions within the scope of their competences, such as the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transporte) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Settlements (Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Urbanos). Furthermore, as reported by the authorities of the Municipality of Cartago, the project being claimed continues its course, since according to technical criteria, its realization is not unviable. It must be clear that the Parque Metropolitano los Diques as a public space already exists for the enjoyment of the citizens of the province of Cartago.
Additionally, it is reiterated that the appellant does not set forth any concrete situation of harm or threat to his fundamental rights on the part of the authorities of the National Commission for Risk Prevention and Emergency Response (Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias), the National Institute of Housing and Urbanism (Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo), the Ministry of Environment and Energy (Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía), the Ministry of Culture and Youth (Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud), the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes), the Ministry of Housing and Urban Settlements (Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Urbanos), the Municipality of Cartago, or the National Museum (Museo Nacional). In any case, from the analysis of the reports and the evidence provided, it is evident that each institution has executed the pertinent actions within the scope of their competences to provide follow-up and continuity to the execution phase of the Parque Metropolitano Los Diques project, such as issuing environmental viability (viabilidad ambiental), transferring the agreed budget to finance the project, or granting land to carry out the works contained in the project.
Finally, it is necessary to warn the appellant that if he considers that the respondent authorities have failed to observe the functions inherent to the position they hold, according to the regulations governing such cases, this essentially constitutes a complaint that is not appropriate to be aired before this Jurisdiction, since the investigation and subsequent reprimand—if applicable—of a public authority that has not fulfilled the functions assigned by the law itself is the purview of other judicial (criminal) or administrative instances; therefore, you may raise your disagreement before the corresponding authorities of the respondents or denounce the fact for breach of duties before the respective jurisdictional avenue, so that what corresponds in law may be resolved.
Hence, in the terms set forth in the filing brief, no harm to the fundamental rights of the protected party is observed. Consequently, the appropriate course is to dismiss the remedy.
V.Different reasons of Magistrate Salazar Alvarado. With due respect, I dissent from the reasons of the majority vote that declares this remedy without merit in relation to the violation of Article 50 of the Political Charter (Carta Política), based on the following reasons: The protection of a healthy and ecologically balanced environment, in the Costa Rican Legal System (Ordenamiento Jurídico Costarricense), is safeguarded not only in Article 50 of the Political Constitution but also in a series of laws and current executive decrees (reglamentos), such as the Organic Law of the Environment (Ley Orgánica del Ambiente), Law No. 7554 of October 4, 1995; the Biodiversity Law (Ley de Biodiversidad), Law No. 7788 of April 30, 1998; the Wildlife Conservation Law (Ley de Conservación de la Vida Silvestre), Law No. 7317 of October 21, 1992; and Executive Decree No. 31849 of May 24, 2004, General Regulation on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedures (Reglamento General sobre los Procedimientos de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (EIA)), to cite just a few.
This makes it necessary, in environmental matters, to separate constitutionality control from legality control. In this sense, it is the criterion of the undersigned that this Chamber, by way of amparo, should only hear a matter in which a violation of the right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment is alleged if the Administration has not yet intervened and when the violation of that right is manifest and evident, easily verifiable, of some importance or gravity, and directly affects a specific person or community. Otherwise, the matter must be raised and discussed in the legality jurisdiction. Therefore, the simple non-compliance with obligations and duties legally imposed on the various public administrations in environmental matters is properly heard in the legality jurisdiction—administrative or jurisdictional—where, with much greater scope, the non-compliances or omissions alleged can be scrutinized.
It must be borne in mind that the amparo remedy is a summary, informal, simple, and rapid process, such that from the very moment the Administration intervenes in an environmental matter, in the exercise of its competences, and substantiates a proceeding, with the issuance of administrative acts, its knowledge becomes alien to the scope of action of this specialized jurisdiction. For this reason, the review of administrative actions carried out regarding an environmental matter that requires, for its correct assessment, a full-knowledge process, is only possible in the ordinary jurisdiction, since the design of the amparo process is incompatible with the contrasting or review of technical or legal criteria developed under the protection of current legal or regulatory norms, or with the evacuation of new and further elements of conviction necessary for the contrasting or review of the criteria already recorded in the administrative file of the case.
The contrary would imply transforming the amparo into an ordinary process of full knowledge, thereby denaturalizing it and rendering nugatory the purposes for which it has been designed, thus losing its condition as an instrument for the effective protection of fundamental rights. As a consequence of the foregoing, I consider that when a public entity or body has intervened, in various forms, or has issued administrative acts in relation to an environmental matter, its knowledge and oversight corresponds to the contentious-administrative jurisdiction. It is precisely the verification of the existence of that administrative intervention that determines that the matter is within the competence of the legality avenue. Consequently, this remedy should have been rejected outright, since its object is a matter properly to be discussed, analyzed, and resolved in the legality jurisdiction. However, as this was not done, the proper course is to declare it without merit, without making any pronouncement regarding the merits of the matter raised, as it is for the ordinary jurisdiction, specifically the contentious-administrative jurisdiction, to determine whether the administrative actions and conduct alleged conform or not, in substance, to what is prescribed in the legal system of legal rank, regarding the protection, safeguarding, and conservation of the right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment.
VI.Documentation provided to the file. This Chamber must warn the appellant that if any documents on paper have been provided, as well as objects or evidence supported by any additional device, or by electronic, computer, magnetic, optical, telematic means, or produced by new technologies, these must be withdrawn from the office within a period of 30 business days after receiving notification of this judgment; otherwise, all of it will be destroyed in accordance with the provisions of the "Regulation on Electronic Files before the Judiciary" (Reglamento sobre Expediente Electrónico ante el Poder Judicial), approved by the Full Court (Corte Plena) in session No. 27-11 of August 22, 2011, Article XXVI, and published in Judicial Bulletin (Boletín Judicial) number 19 of January 26, 2012, as well as the agreement approved by the Superior Council of the Judiciary (Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial), in session No. 43-12 held on May 3, 2012, Article LXXXI.
Therefore (Por tanto):
The remedy is declared without merit. Magistrate Salazar Alvarado gives different reasons.- Fernando Cruz C.
Presidente a.i Paul Rueda L.
Luis Fdo. Salazar A.
Ingrid Hess H.
Ana María Picado B.
Alejandro Delgado F.
Jorge Isaac Solano A.
*G1J0D5TBYHW61* Clasificación elaborada por SALA CONSTITUCIONALdel Poder Judicial. Prohibida su reproducción y/o distribución en forma onerosa.
Sentencia con nota separada Indicadores de Relevancia Sentencia relevante Sentencia con datos protegidos, de conformidad con la normativa vigente Contenido de Interés:
Temas Estrategicos: Ambiental,Der Económicos sociales culturales y ambientales Tipo de contenido: Voto de mayoría Rama del Derecho: 4. ASUNTOS DE GARANTÍA Tema: MUNICIPALIDAD Subtemas:
INFRAESTRUCTURA Y CONDICIONES.
Tema: PODER EJECUTIVO Subtemas:
INFRAESTRUCTURA Y CONDICIONES.
007828-24. MUNICIPALIDAD. PODER EJECUTIVO. SE CUESTIONA LA FALTA DE CONSTRUCCIÓN DEL PARQUE METROPOLITANO DE LOS DIQUES, EN CARTAGO. LA INSTITUCIÓN RECURRIDA, DEMOSTRÓ QUE, HA EJECUTADO LAS ACCIONES PERTINENTES DENTRO DEL ÁMBITO DE SUS COMPETENCIAS PARA BRINDAR UN SEGUIMIENTO Y LA CONTINUIDAD DE LA FASE DE EJECUCIÓN DEL PROYECTO. SE DECLARA SIN LUGAR. VCG04/2024 “(…) IV.- Sobre el caso concreto. En el sub lite, el recurrente estima que se están violentando los derechos de los habitantes de Cartago por la modificación presupuestaria destinada a la construcción del Parque Metropolitano de Los Diques, el cual fue transferido a la Municipalidad de Cartago desde el 2020 según la Ley 9926 para que en complemento con los recursos municipales se iniciara la ejecución de dicho parque, bajo el control del Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos, el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes, el Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía, la Comisión Nacional de Emergencias, el Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo y el Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. Expone que el fin del proyecto es evitar que se siga invadiendo la reserva nacional del río Reventado y dar un buen control urbano y gestión del riesgo a la comunidad de Cartago. Acusa que con el presupuesto que quedó por la modificación presupuestaria no puede ser ejecutado. Por lo expuesto solicita la intervención de la Sala.
Al respecto, de los informes rendidos bajo juramento y de las pruebas aportadas al expediente no estima este Tribunal que exista lesión alguna a los derechos fundamentales del amparado. En ese sentido, es importante resaltar que el recurrente plantea este proceso de forma genérica sin individualizar alguna situación concreta de lesión o amenaza a sus derechos fundamentales respecto a las autoridades de la Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias, del Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo, del Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía, del Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud, del Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes, del Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Urbanos, de la Municipalidad de Cartago o del Museo Nacional. Nótese que de la lectura del escrito de interposición los alegatos realizados por el recurrente se dirigen a cuestionar la modificación presupuestaria destinada a la construcción del Parque Metropolitano de Los Diques y el actuar de la Municipalidad de Cartago respecto a la ejecución del proyecto del Parque Metropolitano Los Diques.
Sobre el particular, en primer lugar, este Tribunal observa que la modificación presupuestaria que se reclama fue permitida y aprobada por la Asamblea Legislativa -publicación realizada en el Diario La Gaceta nro. 170, alcance nro. 175 el 3 de setiembre de 2021-. En este sentido, algún cuestionamiento respecto de las actuaciones realizadas por la Municipalidad de Cartago o las autoridades relacionadas al amparo de esta ley, o toda inconformidad relacionada con la ejecución o no de las partidas presupuestarias dispuestas por el legislador para el proyecto en cuestión, distan de ser aspectos de constitucionalidad, pues se trata claramente de conflictos de legalidad que deberán plantearse y resolverse ante las instancias ordinarias que corresponda; es evidente que no le corresponde a esta Sala determinar la conveniencia o no de determinadas modificaciones presupuestarias aprobadas por el legislador en el ejercicio de sus propias competencias, y menos aún, verificar si las partidas presupuestarias han sido ejecutadas o no, pues conocer y pronunciarse sobre este tipo de alegaciones es competencia de los órganos administrativos o judiciales del ámbito de la legalidad ordinaria.
Aunado a ello, contrario a lo alegado por el recurrente las autoridades de la Municipalidad de Cartago informaron bajo la solemnidad del juramento que “8. Actualmente el proceso del parque continua responsablemente su marcha con contrataciones asociadas al componente ambiental y las coordinaciones interinstitucionales para garantizar hasta donde sea posible las inversiones, que en este caso se mantienen en los márgenes de la Reserva del Rio Reventado hasta tanto se conocen los resultados de estas (…) 10. El Parque Metropolitano los Diques como estrategia de gestión de riesgos y regeneración urbana y ecológica no es inviable desde el criterio técnico municipal y más propiamente desde la perspectiva de la Oficina de Planificación Urbana. En este sentido realizar estudios complementarios a los estudios hidráulicos existentes es necesario siempre es bueno dado el origen de la Reserva y a sus ciclos naturales de eventos asociados a inundaciones y deslizamientos, ello permitirá asegurar las inversiones que están programadas o bien desestimarlas si fuera el caso por parte de todos los entes involucrados. 11.
El Parque Metropolitano los Diques como espacio público ya existe, lo que se requiere es ponerlo en valor y que la gente de Cartago se apropie del sitio creando una suficiente oferta de servicios y recreación bajo un entorno seguro y amigable, de lo contrario seguiremos alimentando un comportamiento inadecuado de la reserva en términos ambientales y sociales” (el resaltado no pertenece al original).
A partir de lo expuesto, debe indicarse que la finalidad del recurso de amparo es brindar tutela oportuna contra infracciones o amenazas directas a los derechos y libertades fundamentales, no servir como un instrumento genérico para canalizar peticiones o quejas de otros tipos. En ese sentido, se debe aclarar que este Tribunal no es una instancia tramitadora de este tipo de inconformidades o denuncias. Lo anterior, sin lugar a duda, es ajeno tanto a la naturaleza sumaria del proceso de amparo, como la competencia de esta jurisdicción especializada, consagrada por la Ley de la Jurisdicción Constitucional y la propia Constitución Política. En caso de mantener su disconformidad con el actuar de la Municipalidad de Cartago, podrá el petente, si a bien lo tiene, interponer la queja o denuncia de manera formal, para que se resuelva lo correspondiente. Debido a que a diferencia de lo alegado por el recurrente ha quedado debidamente acreditado que las autoridades accionadas que suscribieron el convenio respectivo efectuaron las acciones dentro del ámbito de sus competencias, tales como el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transporte y el Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Urbanos.
Además, según se informó por las autoridades de la Municipalidad de Cartago el proyecto que se reclama continúa su marcha, pues según criterio técnico no es inviable su realización. Debe quedar claro que el Parque Metropolitano los Diques como espacio público ya existe para el disfrute de los ciudadanos de la provincia de Cartago.
Adicionalmente, se reitera que el recurrente no expone alguna situación concreta de lesión o amenaza a sus derechos fundamentales por parte de las autoridades de la Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias, del Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo, del Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía, del Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud, del Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes, del Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Urbanos, de la Municipalidad de Cartago o del Museo Nacional. En todo caso, del análisis de los informes y las pruebas aportadas se evidencian que cada institución ha ejecutado las acciones pertinentes dentro del ámbito de sus competencias para brindar un seguimiento y la continuidad de la fase de ejecución del proyecto del Parque Metropolitano Los Diques, tales como emitir la viabilidad ambiental, transferir el presupuesto acordado para financiar el proyecto o el otorgamiento de terreno para realizar las obras contenidas en el proyecto.
Finalmente, se impone advertir al recurrente que si estima que las autoridades accionadas han inobservado las funciones inherentes al cargo que ocupan, según la normativa que regula tales supuestos, ello en el fondo constituye una queja que no compete ventilarse ante esta Jurisdicción, toda vez que la investigación y posterior amonestación -si fuera el caso- a una autoridad pública que no ha cumplido las funciones que la propia ley le asigna, compete a otras instancias judiciales (la penal) o administrativas, por lo que podrá plantear su inconformidad ante las autoridades correspondientes de los accionados o bien, denunciar el hecho por incumplimiento de deberes, ante la vía jurisdiccional respectiva, a fin de que se resuelva lo que en derecho corresponda.
De ahí que, en los términos planteados en el escrito de interposición, no se aprecia alguna lesión a los derechos fundamentales del amparado. En consecuencia, lo procedente es desestimar el recurso. (…)” ... Ver más Contenido de Interés:
Tipo de contenido: Nota separada Rama del Derecho: 1. CONSTITUCIÓN POLÍTICA CON JURISPRUDENCIA Tema: 050- Ambiente Subtemas:
NO APLICA.
V.Razones diferentes del magistrado Salazar Alvarado. Con el debido respeto, disiento de las razones del voto de mayoría que declara sin lugar este recurso en relación con la infracción al ordinal 50, de la Carta Política, con base en las siguientes razones: La protección a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado, en el Ordenamiento Jurídico Costarricense, está tutelado no solo en el artículo 50, de la Constitución Política, sino también en una serie de leyes y decretos ejecutivos (reglamentos) vigentes, tales como la Ley Orgánica del Ambiente, Ley N° 7554 de 4 de octubre de 1995; la Ley de Biodiversidad, Ley N° 7788 de 30 de abril de 1998; la Ley de Conservación de la Vida Silvestre, Ley N° 7317 de 21 de octubre de 1992; y el Decreto Ejecutivo N° 31849 de 24 de mayo de 2004, Reglamento General sobre los Procedimientos de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (EIA), para citar solo algunos.
Esto hace necesario, en materia ambiental, separar el control de constitucionalidad del control de legalidad. En este sentido, es criterio de los suscritos que esta Sala, por vía de amparo, solo debe conocer un asunto en que se alega violación al derecho a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado, si la Administración no ha intervenido aún y cuando la violación a ese derecho sea manifiesta y evidente, de fácil constatación, de cierta importancia o gravedad y que afecte, de forma directa, a alguna persona o comunidad en concreto. De lo contrario, el tema debe plantearse y discutirse en la vía de legalidad. Por ello, el simple incumplimiento de obligaciones y deberes impuestos legalmente a las diversas administraciones públicas en materia ambiental es propio de ser conocido en la vía de legalidad –administrativa o jurisdiccional-, donde, con mucha mayor amplitud, podrán fiscalizarse los incumplimientos u omisiones que se acusen.
Debe tenerse presente que el recurso de amparo es un proceso sumario, informal, sencillo y rápido, de manera tal, que desde el momento mismo en que la Administración interviene en un asunto ambiental, en ejercicio de sus competencias, y sustancia un procedimiento, con el dictado de actos administrativos, su conocimiento resulta ajeno al ámbito de acción de esta jurisdicción especializada. Por ello, la revisión de las actuaciones administrativas llevadas a cabo en torno a un tema ambiental que requiera, para su correcta valoración, de un proceso de conocimiento pleno, solo es posible en la jurisdicción ordinaria, toda vez que el diseño del proceso de amparo es incompatible con la contrastación o revisión de criterios técnicos o jurídicos elaborados al amparo de las normas legales o reglamentarias vigentes o con la evacuación de nuevos y mayores elementos de convicción necesarios para la contrastación o revisión de los criterios que ya consten en el expediente administrativo del caso.
Lo contrario implicaría transformar el amparo en un proceso ordinario de pleno conocimiento, con lo cual se desnaturalizaría y se tornarían nugatorios los fines para los cuales ha sido diseñado, con lo cual, perdería su condición de instrumento para la tutela eficaz de los derechos fundamentales. Como consecuencia de lo anterior, estimo que cuando un ente u órgano público ha intervenido, en diversas formas, o ha dictado actos administrativos en relación con un asunto ambiental, su conocimiento y fiscalización corresponde a la jurisdicción de lo contencioso-administrativo. Es, precisamente, la verificación de la existencia de esa intervención administrativa lo que determina que el asunto sea competencia de la vía legalidad. En consecuencia, este recurso debió haberse rechazado de plano, ya que su objeto es una cuestión propia de ser discutida, analizada y resuelta en la vía de legalidad. Empero, como no se hizo así, lo procedente es declararlo sin lugar, sin hacer pronunciamiento alguno con respecto al fondo de la cuestión planteada por corresponderle a la jurisdicción ordinaria, en específico, a la contencioso-administrativa, determinar si las actuaciones y conductas administrativas acusadas se ajustan o no, en sustancia, a lo preceptuado en el ordenamiento jurídico de rango legal, en cuanto a la protección, tutela y conservación del derecho a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado.
VCG04/2024 ... Ver más *230198200007CO* SALA CONSTITUCIONAL DE LA CORTE SUPREMA DE JUSTICIA. San José, a las nueve horas veinte minutos del veintidos de marzo de dos mil veinticuatro .
Recurso de amparo interpuesto por [Nombre 001], cédula de identidad [Valor 001], a favor de la COMUNIDAD DE CARTAGO, contra la COMISIÓN NACIONAL DE PREVENCIÓN DE RIESGOS Y ATENCIÓN DE EMERGENCIAS (CNE), EL INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE VIVIENDA Y URBANISMO (INVU), EL MINISTERIO DE AMBIENTE Y ENERGÍA (MINAE), EL MINISTERIO DE CULTURA Y JUVENTUD (MCJ), EL MINISTERIO DE OBRAS PÚBLICAS Y TRANSPORTES (MOPT), EL MINISTERIO DE VIVIENDA Y ASENTAMIENTOS URBANOS (MIVAH), LA MUNICIPALIDAD DE CARTAGO Y EL MUSEO NACIONAL.
Resultando:
Redacta el Magistrado Delgado Faith; y,
Considerando:
I.Cuestión preliminar. En vista que el director general del Museo Nacional omitió rendir el informe dentro del plazo fijado por este Tribunal en la resolución de curso de este asunto, de conformidad con el artículo 45 de la Ley de la Jurisdicción Constitucional se procede a analizar la constitucionalidad del asunto con base en los demás elementos aportados a los autos.
II.Objeto del recurso. El recurrente estima que se están violentando los derechos de los habitantes de Cartago por la modificación presupuestaria destinada a la construcción del Parque Metropolitano de Los Diques, el cual fue transferido a la Municipalidad de Cartago desde el 2020 según la Ley 9926 para que en complemento con los recursos municipales se iniciara la ejecución de dicho parque, bajo el control del Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos, el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes, el Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía, la Comisión Nacional de Emergencias, el Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo y el Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. Expone que el fin del proyecto es evitar que se siga invadiendo la reserva nacional del río Reventado y dar un buen control urbano y gestión del riesgo a la comunidad de Cartago. Acusa que con el presupuesto que quedó por la modificación presupuestaria no puede ser ejecutado. Por lo expuesto solicita la intervención de la Sala.
III.Hechos probados. De importancia para la decisión de este asunto, se estiman como debidamente demostrados los siguientes hechos:
La propuesta de desarrollo del Parque Metropolitano Los Diques busca dotar la zona de múltiples funciones culturales, económicas, sociales y ambientales y consolidar la Reserva Nacional del río Reventado como corredor biológico intermedio de la cuenca, para contribuir a los objetivos nacionales de carbono neutralidad, abriéndolo al público en general, para mejorar la calidad de vida de los habitantes por medio de espacios verdes de mayor disponibilidad, calidad, seguridad y accesibilidad en la provincia de Cartago (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento); La propuesta de desarrollo del Parque Metropolitano Los Diques no conlleva procesos de desalojo, por lo que se deberá gestionar una etapa posterior para buscar una solución de vivienda para los asentamientos informales existentes en la zona de los Diques (relocalización de los asentamientos) (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento); El 1 de diciembre de 2020, el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes, el Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos y la Municipalidad de Cartago suscribieron el convenio denominado “CONVENIO ESPECÍFICO DE COOPERACIÓN INTERINSTITUCIONAL ENTRE EL MINISTERIO DE OBRAS PÚBLICAS Y TRANSPORTES, EL MINISTERIO DE VIVIENDA Y ASENTAMIENTOS HUMANOS Y LA MUNICIPALIDAD DE CARTAGO, QUE FORMALIZA EL PRÉSTAMO EN PRECARIO DE TERRENOS Y LA ASESORÍA Y ACOMPAÑAMIENTO PARA LA ATENCIÓN DE LA ZONA DE PROTECCIÓN DEL RÍO REVENTADO EN EL CANTÓN CENTRAL DE CARTAGO, MENDIANTE EL ABORDAJE INTEGRAL DE ASPECTOS AMBIENTALES, SOCIALES Y JURÍDICOS”, en el cual se determinó como objeto el siguiente: “PRIMERA: OBJETO.
El objeto de este convenio es regular las condiciones en que operará un convenio específico de cooperación interinstitucional, en el cual el MOPT, el MIVAH y la Municipalidad sumarán esfuerzos de acuerdo a sus competencias para que se materialicen diferentes proyectos, tanto ambientales, como de mantenimiento, evasión de invasiones y de infraestructura deportiva. Esta participación estará sujeta a las competencias de cada Institución, a la disponibilidad presupuestaria y de recursos que tengan. / Todas las intervenciones que desarrollaran las Partes Suscribientes se ejecutaran con la intención de alcanzar mejores condiciones ambientales, sociales, jurídicas, materiales y cuales quiera otras, para el Cantón de Cartago, concretamente al margen del Río Reventado de Cartago, zona a la cual se le denomina “Los Disques” (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento); En fecha indeterminada, el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes otorgó a la Municipalidad de Cartago, en calidad de préstamo en precario, un total de 28 propiedades inscritas a su nombre y debidamente catastradas, confiriéndole al gobierno local la administración de los terrenos prestados para que pueda construir obras de infraestructura contenidas en el proyecto del Parque Metropolitano Los Diques (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento); Mediante transferencia de capital a la cuenta nro. 73911330100069969 desde el Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos a la Municipalidad de Cartago se destinó el monto de ¢2.000 millones para financiar la primera etapa del proyecto del Parque Metropolitano Los Diques, la cual consiste en senderos, reforestación de las zonas de protección del río, canchas deportivas, campo ferial, anfiteatro, zonas de picnic y para escampar (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento); El monto de los ¢2.000 millones fue concebido por la Ley de Presupuesto Ordinario y Extraordinario para el Ejercicio Económico del 2020 (Ley N°9791 de 26 de noviembre del 2019) (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento); En fecha indeterminada, la Municipalidad de Cartago efectuó el anteproyecto preliminar, el cual dio paso a la elaboración del cartel de licitado para el diseño de planos constructivos y la construcción del proyecto del Parque Metropolitano Los Diques (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento); Mediante informe nro. AM-INF-223-2021 del 29 de julio de 2021, el alcalde de la Municipalidad de Cartago presentó una solicitud ante el Concejo para acordar elevar la respectiva autorización a la Comisión Permanente de Asuntos Hacendarios de la Asamblea Legislativa con la finalidad de modificar (redistribuir) parcialmente el destino de los recursos del proyecto Parque Metropolitano los Diques (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento); Por medio del acuerdo contenido en el artículo nro. 5 del acta nro. 96-2021, celebrada el 3 de agosto de 2021, el Concejo de la Municipalidad de Cartago aprobó el informe nro. AM-INF-223-2021 (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento); La Asamblea Legislativa aprobó y publicó el quinto presupuesto extraordinario de la República para el ejercicio económico del año 2021 y sexta modificación legislativa de la Ley nro. 9926 “Ley de Presupuesto Ordinario y Extraordinario de la República para el Ejercicio Económico del 2021”, lo cual salió publicado en el Diario La Gaceta nro. 170, alcance nro. 175 el 3 de setiembre de 2021 (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento); El cambio solicitado por la Municipalidad de Cartago representó un total de 45% de los fondos del proyecto Parque Metropolitano los Diques, por lo que quedó un monto de ¢1.100 millones (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento); Mediante la resolución nro. 1112-2022-SETENA de las 09:19 horas del 30 de junio de 2022, la Secretaría Técnica Nacional Ambiental otorgó la viabilidad ambiental al proyecto del Parque Metropolitano Los Diques, la cual se dio por un plazo de 5 años (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento); Las autoridades de la Municipalidad de Cartago informaron que “8.
Actualmente el proceso del parque continua responsablemente su marcha con contrataciones asociadas al componente ambiental y las coordinaciones interinstitucionales para garantizar hasta donde sea posible las inversiones, que en este caso se mantienen en los márgenes de la Reserva del Rio Reventado hasta tanto se conocen los resultados de estas (…) 10. El Parque Metropolitano los Diques como estrategia de gestión de riesgos y regeneración urbana y ecológica no es inviable desde el criterio técnico municipal y más propiamente desde la perspectiva de la Oficina de Planificación Urbana. En este sentido realizar estudios complementarios a los estudios hidráulicos existentes es necesario siempre es bueno dado el origen de la Reserva y a sus ciclos naturales de eventos asociados a inundaciones y deslizamientos, ello permitirá asegurar las inversiones que están programadas o bien desestimarlas si fuera el caso por parte de todos los entes involucrados. 11.
El Parque Metropolitano los Diques como espacio público ya existe, lo que se requiere es ponerlo en valor y que la gente de Cartago se apropie del sitio creando una suficiente oferta de servicios y recreación bajo un entorno seguro y amigable, de lo contrario seguiremos alimentando un comportamiento inadecuado de la reserva en términos ambientales y sociales” (ver informes rendidos bajo juramento).
IV.Sobre el caso concreto. En el sub lite, el recurrente estima que se están violentando los derechos de los habitantes de Cartago por la modificación presupuestaria destinada a la construcción del Parque Metropolitano de Los Diques, el cual fue transferido a la Municipalidad de Cartago desde el 2020 según la Ley 9926 para que en complemento con los recursos municipales se iniciara la ejecución de dicho parque, bajo el control del Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos, el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes, el Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía, la Comisión Nacional de Emergencias, el Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo y el Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. Expone que el fin del proyecto es evitar que se siga invadiendo la reserva nacional del río Reventado y dar un buen control urbano y gestión del riesgo a la comunidad de Cartago. Acusa que con el presupuesto que quedó por la modificación presupuestaria no puede ser ejecutado. Por lo expuesto solicita la intervención de la Sala.
Al respecto, de los informes rendidos bajo juramento y de las pruebas aportadas al expediente no estima este Tribunal que exista lesión alguna a los derechos fundamentales del amparado. En ese sentido, es importante resaltar que el recurrente plantea este proceso de forma genérica sin individualizar alguna situación concreta de lesión o amenaza a sus derechos fundamentales respecto a las autoridades de la Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias, del Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo, del Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía, del Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud, del Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes, del Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Urbanos, de la Municipalidad de Cartago o del Museo Nacional. Nótese que de la lectura del escrito de interposición los alegatos realizados por el recurrente se dirigen a cuestionar la modificación presupuestaria destinada a la construcción del Parque Metropolitano de Los Diques y el actuar de la Municipalidad de Cartago respecto a la ejecución del proyecto del Parque Metropolitano Los Diques.
Sobre el particular, en primer lugar, este Tribunal observa que la modificación presupuestaria que se reclama fue permitida y aprobada por la Asamblea Legislativa -publicación realizada en el Diario La Gaceta nro. 170, alcance nro. 175 el 3 de setiembre de 2021-. En este sentido, algún cuestionamiento respecto de las actuaciones realizadas por la Municipalidad de Cartago o las autoridades relacionadas al amparo de esta ley, o toda inconformidad relacionada con la ejecución o no de las partidas presupuestarias dispuestas por el legislador para el proyecto en cuestión, distan de ser aspectos de constitucionalidad, pues se trata claramente de conflictos de legalidad que deberán plantearse y resolverse ante las instancias ordinarias que corresponda; es evidente que no le corresponde a esta Sala determinar la conveniencia o no de determinadas modificaciones presupuestarias aprobadas por el legislador en el ejercicio de sus propias competencias, y menos aún, verificar si las partidas presupuestarias han sido ejecutadas o no, pues conocer y pronunciarse sobre este tipo de alegaciones es competencia de los órganos administrativos o judiciales del ámbito de la legalidad ordinaria.
Aunado a ello, contrario a lo alegado por el recurrente las autoridades de la Municipalidad de Cartago informaron bajo la solemnidad del juramento que “8. Actualmente el proceso del parque continua responsablemente su marcha con contrataciones asociadas al componente ambiental y las coordinaciones interinstitucionales para garantizar hasta donde sea posible las inversiones, que en este caso se mantienen en los márgenes de la Reserva del Rio Reventado hasta tanto se conocen los resultados de estas (…) 10. El Parque Metropolitano los Diques como estrategia de gestión de riesgos y regeneración urbana y ecológica no es inviable desde el criterio técnico municipal y más propiamente desde la perspectiva de la Oficina de Planificación Urbana. En este sentido realizar estudios complementarios a los estudios hidráulicos existentes es necesario siempre es bueno dado el origen de la Reserva y a sus ciclos naturales de eventos asociados a inundaciones y deslizamientos, ello permitirá asegurar las inversiones que están programadas o bien desestimarlas si fuera el caso por parte de todos los entes involucrados. 11.
El Parque Metropolitano los Diques como espacio público ya existe, lo que se requiere es ponerlo en valor y que la gente de Cartago se apropie del sitio creando una suficiente oferta de servicios y recreación bajo un entorno seguro y amigable, de lo contrario seguiremos alimentando un comportamiento inadecuado de la reserva en términos ambientales y sociales” (el resaltado no pertenece al original).
A partir de lo expuesto, debe indicarse que la finalidad del recurso de amparo es brindar tutela oportuna contra infracciones o amenazas directas a los derechos y libertades fundamentales, no servir como un instrumento genérico para canalizar peticiones o quejas de otros tipos. En ese sentido, se debe aclarar que este Tribunal no es una instancia tramitadora de este tipo de inconformidades o denuncias. Lo anterior, sin lugar a duda, es ajeno tanto a la naturaleza sumaria del proceso de amparo, como la competencia de esta jurisdicción especializada, consagrada por la Ley de la Jurisdicción Constitucional y la propia Constitución Política. En caso de mantener su disconformidad con el actuar de la Municipalidad de Cartago, podrá el petente, si a bien lo tiene, interponer la queja o denuncia de manera formal, para que se resuelva lo correspondiente. Debido a que a diferencia de lo alegado por el recurrente ha quedado debidamente acreditado que las autoridades accionadas que suscribieron el convenio respectivo efectuaron las acciones dentro del ámbito de sus competencias, tales como el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transporte y el Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Urbanos.
Además, según se informó por las autoridades de la Municipalidad de Cartago el proyecto que se reclama continúa su marcha, pues según criterio técnico no es inviable su realización. Debe quedar claro que el Parque Metropolitano los Diques como espacio público ya existe para el disfrute de los ciudadanos de la provincia de Cartago.
Adicionalmente, se reitera que el recurrente no expone alguna situación concreta de lesión o amenaza a sus derechos fundamentales por parte de las autoridades de la Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias, del Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo, del Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía, del Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud, del Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes, del Ministerio de Vivienda y Asentamientos Urbanos, de la Municipalidad de Cartago o del Museo Nacional. En todo caso, del análisis de los informes y las pruebas aportadas se evidencian que cada institución ha ejecutado las acciones pertinentes dentro del ámbito de sus competencias para brindar un seguimiento y la continuidad de la fase de ejecución del proyecto del Parque Metropolitano Los Diques, tales como emitir la viabilidad ambiental, transferir el presupuesto acordado para financiar el proyecto o el otorgamiento de terreno para realizar las obras contenidas en el proyecto.
Finalmente, se impone advertir al recurrente que si estima que las autoridades accionadas han inobservado las funciones inherentes al cargo que ocupan, según la normativa que regula tales supuestos, ello en el fondo constituye una queja que no compete ventilarse ante esta Jurisdicción, toda vez que la investigación y posterior amonestación -si fuera el caso- a una autoridad pública que no ha cumplido las funciones que la propia ley le asigna, compete a otras instancias judiciales (la penal) o administrativas, por lo que podrá plantear su inconformidad ante las autoridades correspondientes de los accionados o bien, denunciar el hecho por incumplimiento de deberes, ante la vía jurisdiccional respectiva, a fin de que se resuelva lo que en derecho corresponda.
De ahí que, en los términos planteados en el escrito de interposición, no se aprecia alguna lesión a los derechos fundamentales del amparado. En consecuencia, lo procedente es desestimar el recurso.
V.Razones diferentes del magistrado Salazar Alvarado. Con el debido respeto, disiento de las razones del voto de mayoría que declara sin lugar este recurso en relación con la infracción al ordinal 50, de la Carta Política, con base en las siguientes razones: La protección a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado, en el Ordenamiento Jurídico Costarricense, está tutelado no solo en el artículo 50, de la Constitución Política, sino también en una serie de leyes y decretos ejecutivos (reglamentos) vigentes, tales como la Ley Orgánica del Ambiente, Ley N° 7554 de 4 de octubre de 1995; la Ley de Biodiversidad, Ley N° 7788 de 30 de abril de 1998; la Ley de Conservación de la Vida Silvestre, Ley N° 7317 de 21 de octubre de 1992; y el Decreto Ejecutivo N° 31849 de 24 de mayo de 2004, Reglamento General sobre los Procedimientos de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (EIA), para citar solo algunos.
Esto hace necesario, en materia ambiental, separar el control de constitucionalidad del control de legalidad. En este sentido, es criterio de los suscritos que esta Sala, por vía de amparo, solo debe conocer un asunto en que se alega violación al derecho a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado, si la Administración no ha intervenido aún y cuando la violación a ese derecho sea manifiesta y evidente, de fácil constatación, de cierta importancia o gravedad y que afecte, de forma directa, a alguna persona o comunidad en concreto. De lo contrario, el tema debe plantearse y discutirse en la vía de legalidad. Por ello, el simple incumplimiento de obligaciones y deberes impuestos legalmente a las diversas administraciones públicas en materia ambiental es propio de ser conocido en la vía de legalidad –administrativa o jurisdiccional-, donde, con mucha mayor amplitud, podrán fiscalizarse los incumplimientos u omisiones que se acusen.
Debe tenerse presente que el recurso de amparo es un proceso sumario, informal, sencillo y rápido, de manera tal, que desde el momento mismo en que la Administración interviene en un asunto ambiental, en ejercicio de sus competencias, y sustancia un procedimiento, con el dictado de actos administrativos, su conocimiento resulta ajeno al ámbito de acción de esta jurisdicción especializada. Por ello, la revisión de las actuaciones administrativas llevadas a cabo en torno a un tema ambiental que requiera, para su correcta valoración, de un proceso de conocimiento pleno, solo es posible en la jurisdicción ordinaria, toda vez que el diseño del proceso de amparo es incompatible con la contrastación o revisión de criterios técnicos o jurídicos elaborados al amparo de las normas legales o reglamentarias vigentes o con la evacuación de nuevos y mayores elementos de convicción necesarios para la contrastación o revisión de los criterios que ya consten en el expediente administrativo del caso.
Lo contrario implicaría transformar el amparo en un proceso ordinario de pleno conocimiento, con lo cual se desnaturalizaría y se tornarían nugatorios los fines para los cuales ha sido diseñado, con lo cual, perdería su condición de instrumento para la tutela eficaz de los derechos fundamentales. Como consecuencia de lo anterior, estimo que cuando un ente u órgano público ha intervenido, en diversas formas, o ha dictado actos administrativos en relación con un asunto ambiental, su conocimiento y fiscalización corresponde a la jurisdicción de lo contencioso-administrativo. Es, precisamente, la verificación de la existencia de esa intervención administrativa lo que determina que el asunto sea competencia de la vía legalidad. En consecuencia, este recurso debió haberse rechazado de plano, ya que su objeto es una cuestión propia de ser discutida, analizada y resuelta en la vía de legalidad. Empero, como no se hizo así, lo procedente es declararlo sin lugar, sin hacer pronunciamiento alguno con respecto al fondo de la cuestión planteada por corresponderle a la jurisdicción ordinaria, en específico, a la contencioso-administrativa, determinar si las actuaciones y conductas administrativas acusadas se ajustan o no, en sustancia, a lo preceptuado en el ordenamiento jurídico de rango legal, en cuanto a la protección, tutela y conservación del derecho a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado.
VI.Documentación aportada al expediente. Debe prevenir esta Sala a la parte recurrente que de haber aportado algún documentos en papel, así como objetos o pruebas respaldadas por medio de cualquier dispositivo adicional, o por medio de soporte electrónico, informático, magnético, óptico, telemático o producido por nuevas tecnologías, éstos deberán ser retirados del despacho, en un plazo de 30 días hábiles, después de recibida la notificación de esta sentencia, de lo contrario todo ello será destruido de conformidad con lo establecido en el “Reglamento sobre Expediente Electrónico ante el Poder Judicial”, aprobado por la Corte Plena en sesión No. 27-11 del 22 de agosto del 2011, artículo XXVI y publicado en Boletín Judicial número 19 del 26 de enero del 2012, así como en el acuerdo aprobado por el Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial, en la sesión No. 43-12 celebrada el 3 de mayo del 2012, artículo LXXXI.
Por tanto:
Se declara sin lugar el recurso. El magistrado Salazar Alvarado da razones diferentes.- Fernando Cruz C.
Presidente a.i Paul Rueda L.
Luis Fdo. Salazar A.
Ingrid Hess H.
Ana María Picado B.
Alejandro Delgado F.
Jorge Isaac Solano A.
*G1J0D5TBYHW61* Clasificación elaborada por SALA CONSTITUCIONALdel Poder Judicial. Prohibida su reproducción y/o distribución en forma onerosa.
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