Calls to Hold All Collaborators Accountable: Remembering Ripamonti’s Critique of Poduje’s Links to Reginato

Original article: «No solo ella debe ir a la cárcel (…) todos sus colaboradores»: Recuerdan cuando Ripamonti emplazó a Poduje por vínculos con Reginato

Following the appointment of Iván Poduje as Minister of Housing in Kast’s government, social media quickly became flooded with various news stories and videos highlighting the «political background» of the former mayoral candidate for Viña del Mar.

One of the most widely shared videos features an excerpt from a 2024 radio debate during the campaign for the city’s mayoralty. In this debate, the current mayor, Macarena Ripamonti, sharply criticized her opponent, Poduje, for his connections to Virginia Reginato.

«I believe that not only she (Reginato) should go to prison, but all her collaborators as well, and sitting at this table we have someone who was paid by Virginia Reginato: Iván Poduje,» stated the Viña del Mar mayor in response to the moderator’s question.

In the video, Ripamonti elaborates, saying, «We obtained an investigation that allowed us to acquire a report from the Police Investigations that concludes stating this can only be considered fraud against the treasury.»

She further recalled that as a result, «we managed to ensure that Virginia Reginato was convicted by a court for significant neglect of duties, particularly for the irregular handling of funds, and we won (…) because we forced the Prosecutor’s Office to formalize charges due to cases of corruption.»

Watch the recording below (Radio Biobío Valparaíso video):

The Political Background of Poduje

In October 2024, the investigative team from El Ciudadano gained access to the contract signed between Iván Poduje and Reginato’s administration dated August 22, 2007. This contract aimed to establish a consultancy between Poduje’s firm (Atisba) and the municipality regarding the “Modification of the Margamar Urban Planning Project and Business Model for the Fair Sector.”

The project, known as “Margamar,” according to Poduje, was intended to transform the Marga Marga estuary into an urban focal point for Viña del Mar, but it ultimately turned out to be a failure that never materialized, costing the state over 3 million dollars. Read the following reports published by El Ciudadano on this topic:

«Margamar»: The Project of Iván Poduje under Reginato’s Administration That Resulted in Financial Losses in Viña del Mar

The Million-Dollar Contract Iván Poduje Signed with Reginato’s Administration for Consultancy in Viña del Mar

Iván Poduje and His Links to Virginia Reginato’s Officials

El Ciudadano