Mariano Zambrano says that contracts are not on the fringes of the law
Ecuadornews:
Legal documents attest to two state contracts with companies linked to the governor of Manabí Mariano Nicanor Zambrano Segovia, and his son, who is a legislator and bears the same name. This Journal had access to two of them, signed by the Mardcomsa-Marzam Consortium during the previous government.
For example, a contract dating back to 2012, signed between the Strategic Public Enterprise Corporacion Electrica del Ecuador (Celec EP) and Marzam, “for multimodal transportation of fuel oil 6 and diesel for the Jaramijó Thermoelectric Power Plant,” for $ 18.6 million. Another contract gives an account of $ 5.7 million.
Yesterday, the governor of Manabí Mariano Zambrano responded to the publication of this Journal on his shares held in the Mardcomsa-Marzam Consortium, which would have contracts with the State. In a telephone interview, he said that his companies cannot sign contracts with the Provincial Council, because “I am the contracting authority.”
He accepted that he had signed contracts with other State agencies. “So far, the law allows it. The Celec company is not represented by Mariano Zambrano,” he said.
However, legislator Cesar Rohón (PSC Party) said that this revelation “is very serious,” since no Legislator nor authority, like a governor, may sign contracts with the Ecuadorian State.
Yesterday, the son of the governor was absent from the activities in the Legislature. (I)