In an event held at the auditorium of the Nuestra SeƱora de La Macarena Educational Institution, IRI Colombia facilitated a public debate on forests with the candidates for mayor of La Macarena, and secured commitments through the signing of a programmatic agreement with those candidates to protect the Amazon region. Each candidate committed to include in their municipal development plan projects and programs that contribute to the fulfillment of the orders of Ruling 4360, contain deforestation, convert the municipality into a center of forest and biodiversity protection and, in general, protect and restore the Amazon forests of La Macarena, which are vital to preserve the connection between the Andean forests and the Amazon. Religious and social leaders, presidents of community action boards and teachers, members of the local chapters of IRI in the municipality of La Macarena and the villages of La Cristalina and Alto Morrocoy, attended the debate. The debate was the last in a series held by IRI Colombia around the governor and mayor elections.