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Rafael Correa is pointed out in four research reports of the CPCCS
Posted On 05 Apr 2019
Ecuadornews:
The Council of Citizen Participation and Social Control (CPCCS) of transition approved four investigation reports in which it detected alleged irregularities in public works built during the previous government, and for which it will lodge complaints with the General Prosecutor’s Office.
The projects investigated were the construction of the Pascuales-Cuenca Poliducto; the Millennium Schools, the construction of Public Hospitals, and the Toachi-Pilatón project.
In the case of the construction of the Millennium Schools, the increase in costs in works of between 7 and 102 percent was observed, for which it will ask the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate former President Rafael Correa for the crime of “organized crime”.
It is alleged that the former president allowed the signing of emergency decrees for the educational sector not justified, which “allowed the construction of schools with diversion of funds through hiring millionaires, with increases in costs between 7.82% and 102, 53% “.
Attached to this observation, they will ask to investigate the former State Comptroller Carlos Pólit (fugitive from the justice system for the Odebrecht case) because he would not have audited construction processes, but rather administrative matters.
In the investigation of the construction of public hospitals another complaint will be filed to investigate Correa for the crime of “organized crime” by signing Executive Decree 838, which would have allowed “irregular direct hiring and complementary contracts of up to 30 % of its value “.
In addition, that other ex-officers be investigated for the crime of alleged embezzlement: former Health officials Caroline Chang and Carolina Vance; the former Minister of Politics Doris Solís; the former Secretary of Planning Fander Falconí; and the former directors of the Social Security Institute (IESS) Richard Espinosa, Geovanna León and Camilo Torres, among others.
It is exemplified that in works such as the Monte Sinaí hospital, the initial cost fluctuated in 75’364. 388 dollars, and the final cost was $ 130 million; Like the Guasmo Sur hospital, it had an initial cost of $ 85,444. 388 that ended in 130 million dollars
Esmeraldas Standard hospital had a value of $ 46’070.730 and ended up costing $ 100 million; and the Hospital de Especialidades de Portoviejo, for $ 89’183. 178 had a final cost of 16 million dollars.
It was considered that there would be an alteration of the budget, changes in budget items without justification, and generation of new ones, deviation from the technical purpose and non-observance of legal provisions.
This would have occurred through the “constitution and presumed illicit management of IESS trusts with detriment to affiliates”.
For the construction of the Pascuales-Cuenca pipeline, the CPCCS will present its report to be part of the proceedings for the alleged crime of embezzlement that is already being investigated in the Pichincha Prosecutor’s Office. There he proposes that he be linked to former Vice President of the Republic Jorge Glas and other former officials such as former Petroecuador Executive Marco Calvopiña.
Both Glas and Calvopiña are imprisoned for their participation in the Odebrecht case.
Another approved report was an investigation carried out on the construction of the Toachi-Pilatón project, in which it was detected that it has caused a “loss of profit of $ 3.6 million.”
It is recalled that the project has been under construction for 26 years and has not been completed.
It is stated that former President Correa, as finance minister, committed the crime of influence peddling; and as agent “allowed the irregular termination of contracts affecting public funds”, so they propose an investigation for crimes such as embezzlement, organized crime and illicit association.
Glas is indicated by the presumption of accomplice of embezzlement as Minister of Strategic Sectors, along with other officials such as the outgoing prefect of Pichincha, Gustavo Baroja, the former Carondelet legal secretary, Alexis Mera, among others.
The CPCCS will submit the complaint to the Office of the Prosecutor to investigate alleged crimes such as embezzlement, illicit enrichment; and the Financial and Economic Analysis Unit (UAFE) will be requested to investigate the assets of the Pichincha ex-defendants from 1993 to the present. (I)
