Lima Mayor briefed on experiences of Madrid

(Lima, December 10, 2010).- The newly elected mayor of Lima, Susana Villarán de la Puente, was received by the president of the Community of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, during her visit to Spain to familiarize herself with the infrastructure management model and the formulas for public-private financing used in the Spanish capital.

Following an invitation from CAF, Latin American development bank, Villarán de la Puente was received by the president of the Community of Madrid in the Institutional Room of the Real Casa de Correos.

The mayor of the Peruvian capital also met with José Ignacio Echeverría, director of Transport and Infrastructure of the Madrid Autonomous Community; Luis Armada, vice head of Transport and Infrastructure; José Manuel Pradillo, managing director of the Madrid Transport Consortium; and other executives of the operating companies, who gave a presentation on the integrated public transport system.

She also met with the director general of Security and Emergency, Alfonso del Álamo, who gave a presentation on the Emergencies and Civil Defense System of the Madrid City Government. "Model Madrid" was presented by Aurelio Garcia Sola and Alicia Hinojosa, vice president and manager of Madrid Network, respectively. The Peruvian delegation, headed by Villarán de la Puente was formed by Rafael García, metropolitan councilor; and Augusto Ortiz of Zevallos, architect, planner and advisor to the urban planning team.

Villarán de la Puente also visited the Infanta Elena of Valdemoro and Infanta Leonor de Puente de Vallecas hospitals, accompanied by Antonio Burgueño, director general of hospitals; Jessica Zorogastúa, chief of staff of the director of Health; and Cristina Pérez Arancón, deputy general director of Health Cooperation and Institutional Relations.

This is the first foreign trip Villarán de la Puente has made since she took over as mayor on November 20. The purpose of the visit is to become acquainted with experiences in areas such as urban planning and public transport, public health and emergency response, which are critical for the development of the Peruvian capital.