Seized channels now have $ 23 million in debt

Ecuadornews:

The secretary of the Presidency, Eduardo Jurado, asked from October 4 to process the payment to that channel for 119 “sabatinas”. Andrés Michelena, Secretary of Communication, went to the Prosecutor’s Office.

In a maximum of 10 days will be paid the $ 6,708,903.06 owed to Gamavisión for the 119 citizen links. Andrés Michelena, Secretary of Communication (Secom), said that there is a request from the Secretary of the Presidency, Eduardo Jurado, to the Minister of Finance, Richard Martinez, to be paid that money owed.

However, Michelena said it will undertake a process of repetition against former President Rafael Correa, former Secretary of Communication, Fernando Alvarado and managers Gamavisión (Ulises Alarcon, Claudio Moya, Fernando Proaño and Rafael Peralta) that allowed the use of that channel.

He asked that justice should act in an “expeditious manner”. At the discretion of the secretary of Secom, these problems reflect the situation in which the seized media were left and that was reported to the Prosecutor’s Office since October. Regarding Gamavisión’s situation, the Comptroller’s Office determined irregularities in hiring with family companies related to Alvarado, in the Percrea and Creacional companies.

These companies, according to the report, received, for example, $ 931,310.06 for commissions for transmitting advertising spaces of different companies. Michelena indicated that the Ministry of Finance will transfer $ 500,000 to pay salaries of the 29 employees of those radio stations seized.

He affirmed that $ 23 million is the debt that the channels seized with several journalists and processes have and the priority will be to pay the salaries. Alvarado has 11 criminal proceedings and, at the discretion of Michelena, the person in charge must pay “every money misused in an abusive manner in the seized media.”

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, there are four cases against Alvarado (a tax investigation for embezzlement and three previous investigations, one for money laundering and two for embezzlement).

Mauricio Herrera, secretary of the workers’ committee of Gamavisión, said that this money will allow them to cover the 2 months and 15 days that the workers are unpaid, as well as the debt of 17 months in the IESS and Biess. They expect the company to leave the risk center of the Superintendence of Companies and begin a process of reengineering it. (I)

Source: https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/judicial/12/deudas-millonarias-canales-incautados-ecuador