Original article: Poduje enfrenta crisis interna en el Minvu: renuncias, cuestionamientos por malos tratos y reconstrucción en duda Just over a month after taking the helm of the Ministry of Housing and Urbanism (Minvu), Iván Poduje is grappling with an internal crisis marked by a series of resignations, accusations of misconduct, and criticism regarding management practices. This situation threatens to impact the rebuilding process of homes damaged by recent wildfires across the country. The architect, who has set ambitious deadlines for reconstruction—such as 15 months for Viña del Mar—appears to be facing challenges in establishing a cohesive team to meet these goals.
Since taking office as Minister of Housing and Urbanism on March 11, at least two key appointees have left their positions following “disagreements” and, according to multiple sources, due to issues related to interpersonal conduct. As confirmed by the investigative unit of El Mostrador, among those who departed are the Head of the Finance Division, Victoria Saud Muñoz, who resigned last week, and the Chief of Staff for Undersecretary Natalia Aguilar, lawyer Tomás de Tezanos. Additionally, there are indications that Michelle Browne, head of the Housing Policy Division, may also be leaving.
However, in this case, there is no clear information; ministry sources indicated that after days of absence and inquiries from staff to management, authorities confirmed she may have reconsidered her resignation. Thus, what appeared to be another departure has turned into a reversal, adding further confusion to an already complex situation. Misconduct Allegations at Minvu Officials from Minvu assured El Mostrador that they have “no prior instances or reports of misconduct,” yet sources within the ministry contend that the departures—especially in Saud’s case—stemmed from “differences in interpersonal relations and instructions,” both with Minister Poduje and Undersecretary Natalia Aguilar.
In response to the official statement, the media reached out to Saud for her perspective on her departure and the workplace atmosphere at the ministry, but she declined to comment and indicated a preference to refrain from discussing the matter for now. Her silence has only deepened the uncertainty surrounding the true reasons for her sudden exit. Amid this climate of uncertainty, ministry staff have urged authorities to issue an internal bulletin to formally explain the reasons behind the recent departures, noting that communications have been limited to forwarded emails.
According to one source, “this has created internal disruption and uncertainty regarding policy direction. ” “We don’t understand why a statement hasn’t been made. There’s no clear leadership.
Communication internally has been inadequate,” a source told El Mostrador. Slower Management Processes Following Saud’s departure from the Finance Division, Patricia Huerta, a career public servant, is currently serving as acting head. However, ministry staff have reported issues with directives and guidance being communicated to various units, as the expected fluidity has not materialized, resulting in a slower management process for executing projects.
In other words, the lack of clear institutional communication has created a bottleneck affecting the speed at which decisions are made and resources are allocated in a ministry like Housing, where budget and investment are integral to operations, and any delays in the Finance Division can have domino effects that directly impact the victims awaiting solutions. “It’s a critical task as it pertains to budgets and investment for the regions, the services, which, if not completed or delayed, can halt the financial management of the ministry, affecting those in housing policy,” a staff member highlighted regarding the significance of the Finance Division. This warning is particularly significant, as a crisis within Minvu could diminish the state’s ability to respond to a housing situation that demands speed, coordination, and, above all, stable and well-directed teams.
Regarding the abrupt departure of Tomás de Tezanos, sources indicate that his exit was due to “disagreements” and others cite “misconduct,” while ministry officials told El Mostrador that his role was specifically to assist in establishing the undersecretariat, and he has since taken on the role of advisor to the Director of the National Biodiversity Service (SBAP), as it was deemed “his natural destination. ” Yet, testimonies suggest that his departure has also contributed to a slowdown in the ministry’s decision-making, considering that the role he held as chief of staff for Undersecretary Natalia Aguilar was connected with execution and allowed for the “unblocking or speeding up of projects. ” In essence, regardless of whether or not misconduct occurred, it seems clear that the exit of De Tezanos has created a void in the ministry’s operational capacity, especially at a moment when maximum efficiency is required.
This is crucial, considering that it was Minister Iván Poduje himself who, aside from setting a 15-month deadline to complete the reconstruction in Viña del Mar, mentioned that 470 houses were finished—out of a total of 4,600—and that it was the ministry’s task to “accelerate these processes and allocate the pending subsidies. ” “I may have to leave,” the minister told José Antonio Kast in an interview with Tomás Mosciatti, referring to the possibility of not meeting these goals. Nevertheless, the internal crisis currently affecting Minvu could jeopardize the completion of projects and the situation of thousands of families waiting to regain a roof over their heads.