Potosí: they accuse 17 subordinates and leave the governor “clean”

Page Seven / La Paz

The Government of Potosí will prosecute 17 officials who participated in the hiring of the 41 ambulances. However, Governor Jhonny Mamani, who signed the purchase contract for the motorized vehicles, was exempt.

It was precisely Mamani who made the announcement, after the Transparency Unit of the Government that he presides over recommended it to him.

“I have requested the intervention of the transparency unit of the Autonomous Departmental Government of Potosí, which has the following reports and recommendations: one, to initiate the opening of processes against 17 officials of the Government who initially participated in the hiring process ”, assured the authority.

Mamani, at a press conference, indicated that after becoming aware of the complaints, he instructed to send all the information “to different instances of State control”, among which are the Public Ministry, the Vice Ministry of Transparency, the Comptroller’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office for “transparent” the hiring process.

He added that he also asked for the government’s transparency unit, which he leads, to intervene.

It is in this context that without waiting for those State institutions to rule on the matter, he announced that the 17 public servants will be prosecuted, this -he said- in search of determining administrative, civil or criminal responsibilities.

The authority added that the second recommendation made by the transparency unit of its Government is to initiate a process against Estefals Logistics, which it already filed last day, for the alleged commission of the crimes of ideological falsehood, use of a forged instrument and attacks. against public health.

The third recommendation is the cancellation of all contracting processes with the company.

Between November and December, the Government signed four contracts for the purchase of ambulances, cars for citizen security and a van. All four contracts bear the signature of Governor Mamani.

The deputy of Potosí Mónica Torres, in contact with Página Siete, indicated that it is worthwhile for Mamani to take leave to deal with the case, not being the highest authority of that departmental entity.

“I think the most correct thing would be for the governor to actually take temporary leave from the investiture he is carrying to be able to defend himself in an extra-government way, not being the highest executive authority,” he assured.

On Wednesday, the board of directors of the Departmental Legislative Assembly sent a letter to the governor, in which it made known its observations on the contracting process for the 41 ambulances.

Among the points questioned are the breach of requirements, the miscalculation of reference prices for ambulances, the lack of compliance with regulations, the signing of a resolution to extend the term only for the benefit of Estefals Logistics and the lack of half of the signatures of the members of the commission in the report that recommended the hiring.

While that is happening in the area of the Government, in the case filed by Zegada Motors, one of the alleged officials of the Government who “managed” the NIT of that workshop was summoned yesterday to insert it in the contracting process of the 41 ambulances . The call was made by identification card, because the person was not found at home.

“We summoned Mr. OMB by identification card. The gentleman has to appear on Monday at 2:00 p.m. to give his informative statement, within this criminal process for ideological falsehood on the subject of ambulances. If he does not show up, we are going to request the arrest warrant, ”lawyer Richard Alejo informed this medium.

The contract for the purchase of the 41 ambulances was signed on November 26, 2021 for an amount of 20.5 million bolivianos. On January 19, the governor of Potosí announced the cancellation.

“We have made an analysis with the technical team, the legal team and it has been decided, I have instructed that this process can be canceled,” Mamani said then.

41
ambulances
were awarded to Estefals Logistics.
On January 19, the contract was canceled.