MEXICO.- This Monday Mexicans once morest Corruption and Impunity (MCCI) revealed that gas station and gas station owners in Mexico They were forced by staff of the Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) to pay fees so that they do not close them.
According to testimonies from those who witnessed this corruption network, the fees were between 13 thousand and 35 thousand pesos per month.
As evidence of the “moches” or bribes, two witnesses shared with MCCI photographs of wads of bills which they supposedly delivered to officials or representatives of Profeco.
It should be noted that the former Secretary of the Interior, Adam Augusto Lopezrevealed that he received a complaint that 11 thousand Gas drivers and gas stations paid a monthly fee of 20 thousand pesos to prevent them from being closed. Which would have represented an extortion of 220 million per month and 2.6 billion per year.
Witnesses of this network of corruption affirm that the stores that refused to paylos They exhibited on Monday mornings.
They intimidated businesses
“Las verification visits consisted of intimidate (businesses) visited and demand a monthly amount from them so as not to be disturbed by verification visits. The verifiers arrive at the companies and demand an amount so that everything goes well,” said the former manager of a gas distribution company with a presence in different states.
This version coincides with that of Giovanna Fiorela Perales Salem, former personal assistant of the current director of Profeco.
“Every Thursday there was a communication from the Attorney General’s office where they triangulated the information regarding the gas stations. Which ones might you mention? Monday mornings, and which not”, he assured.
A witness claimed that part of the money was for pay Morena consultantsto electoral pollsters and Morenoist candidate campaigns.
How much money were they asking for?
The former manager of a fuel expense chain assured that the fees varieddepending on the type and size of the business.
According to their testimony, the LP gas distribution companies were asked 35 thousand pesos per establishment. At gas stations from 20 thousand to 22 thousand pesos per unit of service and to carburetion stations (those that supply gas to vehicles) 13 thousand monthly.
This payment scheme, he noted, has been some of the companies that operate: some 700 gas stations, 7 thousand gas stations and 2 thousand fuel stations, to avoid being penalized.
According to their version, this network of corruption started in June 2019, half a year following the current federal government began. And it continues to this day.
Pearls of Salem filed formal complaints once morest Aguilar Romero, current head of Profeco, for sexual and workplace harassment, harassment and gender violence. He also pointed out that now he seeks to make himself known and the corruption network is investigated.
Read: They filter new audio of Amílcar Olán, friend of AMLO’s son: corruption in the IMSS-Bienestar
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2024-05-13 14:59:58
