Elections 2022: expenses of political parties in the crosshairs for misuse

The expenses of the political parties again arouse questions due to the misuse that is perceived, especially of the money they receive from the State. The ONPE (National Office of Electoral Processes) It has already begun to investigate cases of alleged abuse of funds that political organizations have received from public financing.

“It has been found that some political organizations would have used this financing for purposes other than those indicated by the Political Organizations Law, so we find ourselves in preliminary investigations for verification”, said the head of the ONPE, Piero Corvetto, before the press.

The political parties receive money from the State when in elections they manage to have representatives in the Congress; that is, parliamentarians. The amount that each political organization receives is proportional to the size of its representation obtained in the electoral process.

Up to half of this public financing, in each party, can be spent on ordinary operations, such as the purchase of goods and the hiring of personnel and services. In turn, no less than half of what is received must finance education, training and research activities.

Service. Flores charged Fujimori more than 10,000 soles. Photo: Antonio Melgarejo / The Republic

The State must give this money within five years.

The Peru Libre and Fuerza Popular parties were the most benefited in the last general elections. The organization of the pencil is responsible for receiving from the State 10 million 756 thousand 396 soles until the year 2026. The Fujimori party gets 9 million 575 thousand 305 soles in this same five-year period.

Peru Libre has reported to the ONPE, among the expenses it makes with public financing, which pays a salary to its maximum leader, Vladimir Cerron, about 13,000 soles per month. The leaders Ana María Córdova, Sherezade Méndez and Blanca Romero, recognized cerronistas, also receive salaries.

“I don’t know anyone who doesn’t live from the state, or anyone who thinks they are more private than anyone else. The media say I pay you with ‘my taxes’, as if one did not pay taxes and perhaps more than those who criticize. Hypocrisy works for the unwary, but not for the connoisseurs, ”Cerrón tweeted when learning of the salary he receives from his party, for a report on the program ‘Punto final’, on the Latina station.

People’s Force reported salary payments with public financing to leaders such as Carmela Paucará and Adriana Tarazona, co-processed with Keiko Fujimori, and Pier Figari.

Another questioned case is a consultancy paid by the Renovación Popular party, with public financing, to Julio Gagó, campaign manager for its candidate Rafael López Aliaga.

Also, Somos Perú also pays a salary with public financing to the president of the party, Patricia Li.

millionaire fraud

According to the expense report of the private financing of Fuerza Popular, its strategy of a non-existent electoral fraud against the presidential proclamation of Pedro Castillo cost one million 507 thousand 200 soles.

85% of that expense is payment of fees to challenge electoral records. The rest was used to review the minutes, check signatures, legal advice, searches in the Reniec (identifications) and purchase of polo shirts.

The lawyer and politician Lourdes Flores received 10,744 soles for her service to Fujimorism. Payments were also made to Giulliana Loza, Keiko’s lawyer, and to Shirley Montenegro, today an advisor to the congresswoman. Rosengella Barbaran. In 2019, Montenegro was singled out by former ‘orange’ treasurer Luis Mejía Lecca as one of those who selected documents linked to contributions from the 2016 campaign that were incinerated at the home of Ana Herz, former FP leader and Keiko’s close friend.

Keiko Fujimori does not appear with party salary in these reportsdespite the fact that before, in a judicial process, she presented salary receipts that she would have received from Fuerza Popular.

reactions

Guido Bellido, congressman from Peru Libre

“We do not know in detail the decisions of how these determinations have been made. There must be a regulation. What we must do quickly, and it corresponds, is to ask for an explanation”.

Fernando Tuesta, political scientist, former head of ONPE

“The direct public funding to parties is money that comes from taxes that we citizens pay. The problem is not that public contributions are given to them, but that they misuse them.”