Security for the Correa campaign was paid with “Arroz Verde”

Ecuadornews:

Correos, notes and the declaration of who was one of the advisers closest to the exmandatario reveal the details of the reception, allegedly, of illegal money and for the payment of suppliers for his re-election in 2013.

“Popeyes” was the key name that was gave Rafael Correa’s private security team in the campaign for his re-election in 2013. Tall and stocky, they always wore a black T-shirt in their rallies around the country. They not only controlled that the acts were developed with order, but also “submitted” (assaulted) to any person who showed their discontent.

This is how one of the “popeyes” told this newspaper, but with the promise of protecting his identity. These boys received a daily payment for this work in 2013. This money is shown in the emails of Pamela M., who was the closest adviser to former President Correa.

On February 4, 2013, in full electoral effervescence, Paola Proaño, responsible for the economic management of the campaign, sends an email to Pamela M. Her treatment is very friendly. “Dear Pame,” greets her at the beginning of her email.

He then informs him that he sends him the list of suppliers that should be canceled with cash and “assign it to three authorities” within the cost presented to the National Electoral Council (CNE). The total required is $ 1,467,656.

This figure is higher than that declared to the CNE: 1.17 million. In the list is the payment for murals on the road to the Coast; in Lomas de Sargentillo, Naranjal, among other cities of Guayas. Also for campaign closures, platforms, sound, among others.

There is also the payment for the brigadistas by national assembly members, which were $ 135,000 in cash. Of course the money for the “popeyes”. These bodyguards were paid $ 145,000. In the Electoral Council records, Pamela M. does not appear as a collector or treasurer of the funds for the campaign.

But, according to her confession, to the Office of the Prosecutor, she, at the behest of former President Correa, turned her office into a safe for the campaigns from 2011 to 2014. She received envelopes with millions of dollars collected from companies that had contracts with the State. .

Among them, the one that stands out is the Brazilian Odebrecht, questioned for putting together a network of corruption, which led to the imprisonment of former Vice President Jorge Glas. In a notebook, Pamela M. wrote in detail to whom she gave the money.

Those appointed were the former Legal Secretary of the Presidency, Alexis M .; the ex-minister Maria de los Angeles D. and the former minister and leader of the electoral campaigns of PAIS Alliance, Vinicio A. The three are now investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office for alleged concussion.

Mera is detained in the Prison 4 of Quito; María de los Ángeles D. is prohibited from leaving the country and the whereabouts of Vinicio A. is unknown. This system to hide such contributions prohibited by law, apparently, had no flaws. In 2011 the first records appear, when the country is ready to approve the consultation that gave Correa the power to restructure the judicial system.

In the archives there are the contributions for the fences. A year later, under this same system, the campaign for reelection was financed. Since November 2012 there are already movements and a quote for a jingle is needed. Then there are records for advertising, platforms and rental of amplification equipment.

For this they also used a cross-account of the companies, which faked contracts to pay the suppliers of the campaign. The SRI reported that 22 of the taxpayers named in the “Arroz Verde” case used fictitious signatures to avoid paying taxes, causing a loss of more than $ 39 million.

The payment of these suppliers with fictitious invoices, apparently, was directed from the Secretariat of the Public Administration, then directed by Vinicio A.

Officials of that entity sent emails asking for the names of the companies to invoice the suppliers and the office of Pamela M He gave them that information. Thus a plot was woven that, supposedly, would not be discovered. (I)

Source: https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/judicial/12/seguridad-campana-correa-arrozverde