2024-03-29 23:18:22
05:37 PM
The former Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry, José Antonio Salazar, spoke out this Friday following the National Government decided to overturn the resolutions with which a month ago the controversial passport contract had been awarded to the firm Thomas Greg & Sons.
Maintaining that for much less the former Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva was suspended from his position, the former official asserted that the current Foreign Minister Gilberto Murillo would be committing an even more serious offense, despite the insistent statements of that agency that said process would be covered by the law.
In context: Government revoked resolutions that favored Thomas Greg in tender for passport contract
“They are trying to tarnish my name and create vices where they do not exist, with the sole purpose of undoing what is well done, it is a deliberate purpose,” Salazar asserted in an interview with Semana Magazine, in which he referred in depth to the controversy.
According to the former secretary, the main problem with the decision made by the Foreign Ministry this Thursday would be that, in its decision to hand over the contract to Thomas Greg & Sons, due process would have been strictly respected.
“Initially, Dr. Marta Lucía Zamora, who was the director of the State Legal Agency, believed that the contract had to be reconciled and awarded, which is why she had to resign; Later they appointed counselor Gustavo Gómez Aranguren and he expressly indicated that he wanted to consult the Council of State and the recommendation he obtained would be made, and they appointed him for that reason, but with the argument that he was over 70 years old. Now the person who is denouncing me is a subordinate from Zamora, who was commissioned for that sole purpose, to change the concepts and present the criminal complaints,” Salazar expressed to that medium.
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In his statements, the former secretary insisted that these moves might cause financial detriment and suggested that the only possible explanation for reversing the resolutions would be to follow the instructions of the high government, which beyond the legal filigree, would be dedicated to knock down the contract once morest all odds.
“I am absolutely sure that what was done is legally correct, it is well supported and I constantly receive calls from many of the most prestigious and knowledgeable lawyers in state contracting, who tell me that they agree with me,” he reiterated.
“Chancellor Leyva is suspended because he declared the tender void and now Chancellor Murillo not only intends to return to the issue of declaring it void, but also commits a more serious offense in disregard of those stated. “Chancellor Leyva was suspended for much less,” he added.
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It should be remembered that the decision to reverse said award occurred this Thursday, March 28 and was informed by the Foreign Ministry through a statement.
“Once the corresponding legal analyzes have been carried out, we have revoked the resolutions issued by the previous secretary general of the Chancellery, which were issued outside of any legal framework. This, in order to guarantee the principle of legality and the constitutional principles of the administrative function,” the entity wrote, alluding to the resolutions issued on February 26.
“The passport issuance service in Colombia and abroad is guaranteed. The company that currently provides the service reiterated, in writing, that it will fulfill contract 356, until its completion on October 2, 2024, without setbacks,” added that portfolio.
Despite this part of tranquility, a doubt that arises within the framework of this process is linked to the narrow times that the National Government has to carry out a tender without jeopardizing the provision of the service or ending up choosing a contractor. that does not fit the size.
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