The dismissal of the director of Roads was not the only one in the Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (CIV), following the recent corruption case revealed. Officials recently appointed by the former head of that portfolio were also dismissed. Jasmine de la Vega, who was removed from office by President Bernardo Arévalo for alleged acts of corruption.
On July 11, Arévalo announced that he had dismissed the director of the General Directorate of Roads (DGC), Gilberto de Jesús Guerra, who was accused of intervening in favor of a company in the process of awarding the project to repair the Palín-Escuintla highway. The administrative and financial deputy director was also dismissed in this case. Flor Esmeralda Hernández Pelicó was also added from the position of head of the Department of Purchases and Imports, Iris Nicolette Gutiérrez from the Department of Human Resources and Karla Fabiola Lara Morales from the position of executive deputy director III.
The Ministry’s Social Communications Directorate indicated that in the case of Guerra, who was recently appointed as interim director, his knowledge and technical experience in public administration was taken into account. “He was confirmed as director on June 27, with the invitation to recover the dignity of the workers who have been so hard hit within that department, which he did not fulfill.”
The case
The Minister of Communications, Félix Alvarado, explained that initially under the state of Calamity a contract was awarded for more than Q100 million for the repair of the Palín-Escuintla highway. However, the event was rescinded because only one company bid for the total amount provided by the CIV, which caused them doubts.
The president said that Guerra “did everything possible” to hinder the awarding process to benefit a company, and that he even influenced one of the members of the rating committee to achieve his goal.
It was for sabotage in the attention of the collapse on the highway
In a press release published by the CIV on July 13, it is mentioned that the dismissal of “the corrupt leadership in the General Directorate of Roads was for sabotage of the prompt response to the emergency on the Palín-Escuintla highway.”
The text states that the CIV has been emphatic in mentioning that “it will not tolerate any act of corruption in its offices. In such
In this sense, Minister Félix Alvarado made public the dismissal of Director Gilberto Guerra and Deputy Director Víctor Rosales, both from the General Directorate of Roads (DGC), for having interfered actively and passively in the process of awarding the repair of the
“Palín-Escuintla section”.
It is noted that “the process in Guate Compras number NOG 23587792 sought to provide a timely response to the damage caused by the rains to the CA-9 Sur A route (Palín-Escuintla Highway). This route is one of the most important sections of the country, since 51% of the total national commercial exchange passes through it. The process was active for 12 hours, having received a single offer for Q105 million, an amount considerably higher than that projected by the technical team.”
The document adds that the event was dispensed with because the amount and the only offer suggested anti-competitive activities. “From that moment on, a direct purchase process was chosen, based on the original terms of reference, for which a qualification committee was formed within the framework of the Contracting Law. Three offers were received, the highest for Q50 million and the lowest for Q35 million.
millions. However, the now ex-director of Roads, Gilberto Guerra, interfered in the work of the qualification board and one of its members gave evidence of collusion with the ex-director: following knowing the offers, taking note of the amounts, advancing
criteria and to prepare minutes, he met privately with the aforementioned former official, later presenting his excuse from the commission, something that at that point constitutes an administrative and probably criminal offense.”
He added that this was why Minister Alvarado removed the director, deputy director and DGC personnel involved from their posts, who, according to the CIV, “acted maliciously and corruptly by seeking to weaken the transparency and competence of the processes.”
He said that the CIV has initiated the corresponding complaints and will not allow unscrupulous people to continue harming millions of Guatemalans with their actions.
Minister dismissed
These are not the first dismissals in that portfolio during this government. On May 17, she was removed Communications Minister Jazmín de la Vega was accused of authorising payments to construction companies outside the agreed control procedure.
A report that was recently accessed Free Press The document states that the previous administration of the CIV scheduled the payment of Q326.6 million to more than a hundred companies from January to March. According to the documents, these suppliers carried out works in Covial, Caminos and the Social Solidarity Fund (FSS).
The aforementioned ministry is dragging around a multimillion-dollar debt that, according to estimates by the authorities of the portfolio, is greater than its two-year budget, so solving it is a complicated situation. The dragging debt of Q13 billion that it has The CIV has been accumulating for several administrations.
Malfunction
Juan Carlos Zapata, executive director of Fundesa, reiterated that since 2017 they have insisted that it is necessary to change the way in which road network maintenance is carried out, ensuring that “it is evident that there is a system that It does not work and this case of corruption is added to a series of other cases that are part of an inoperative system.”
Zapata says that the dismissal of officials and the appointment of other people to their positions will not solve the poor functioning of the ministry, arguing that it is not a people issue, but a system issue.
“We need to get away from the subject of people. Many ministers will come and go, but if the management system is not changed, we will remain the same.” “We must separate the political part from the technical part,” he added.
To achieve change, Zapata proposes the approval of the General Law on Road Infrastructure. Bill 5431 proposes a model with greater control over the management of public works projects, giving more responsibility to those who are managing the work, not only to execute and design it, but also to provide maintenance and assign resources to follow up on indicators.
More punishments
Fernando Orellana, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, says that the Ministry of Communications is a “fundamental” entity, since it is the only one in charge of the construction and maintenance of the country’s road network, despite the fact that other private alternatives have been sought.
Orellana emphasizes that further action must be taken to take control of the ministry. However, he believes that the main reason why corruption cannot be eradicated in that department is the lack of punishment for those who commit such crimes.
“There is corruption in other ministries, not just in Communications, but if there is no certainty of punishment, corruption will hardly be eliminated,” he said.
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The scandals
Félix Alvarado is the 12th minister to hold the position in the last 16 years at the Ministry of Communications. The list of constant changes begins in 2008, when the administration of then President Álvaro Colom swore in Luis Alfredo Alejos as head of the portfolio. Alvaro was investigated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in the Transurbano case and was accused of the crime of embezzlement and fraud.
The scandals at the CIV are not only due to corruption and the appointment of officials. The former minister De la Vega denounced an alleged human trafficking network that had been operating in that ministry since the government of Alejandro Giammattei.
According to the statements of the former official, there was a “catalogue of young women” hired and who enjoyed a salary paid by that ministry. However, his real function was to accompany or assist officials outside of working hours.
The National Commission once morest Corruption (CNC) reported through its Social Communication department that they providetechnical assistance in these complaints. They even requested a series of documents to evaluate the legal route to follow.
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