July 7, 2023, 9:43 PM
July 7, 2023, 9:43 PM
The main accuser of the ‘million-dollar bribes’ case at the Ministry of the Environment, Claudia Cortez, requested through her lawyer investigation of accounts and call flow between the former minister, Juan Santos Cruz, and the peasant leader, Eber Rojas, after the latter declared that he did not know her, let alone having received money.
“That gives us the opportunity to investigate Mr. Eber Rojas, we are presenting a memorial requesting investigations of the financial movements, as well as the traffic of calls that he has had with Mr. Juan Santos Cruz”, said Abel Loma, who is Cortez’s defense attorney.
The Prosecutor’s Office investigates the former Minister of the Environment for legitimation of illicit profits, after Claudia Cortez revealed that she personally managed the payment of bribes to companies that were awarded State projects. She said that gave the ex-minister at least Bs 19 million in the span of two years.
Eber Rojas went to the Prosecutor’s Office to testify about the receipt of at least US$10,000 from the hands of Santos Cruz. In his statement, he said that he knew the minister through the events he attended as a leader of the CSUTCB. Likewise, he said he did not know Claudia Cortez, whose face he did not even remember.
That day, he told prosecutors that would start a criminal action against Cortez for having involved him falsely in this scandal, and even gave him a deadline to retract his statement.
“Mr. Eber Rojas has presented preparatory acts to file a private order lawsuit (…) It seems to me that it was simply a pretext to come to the Prosecutor’s Office (on June 28) with a bar to disrespect my colleagues from the press, when he could come, calmly give his statement and leave without threatening anyone”, said the lawyer, recalling what happened that day when Rojas arrived with his followers, who dedicated themselves to harassing the press workers, according to the Gigavisión network.
He later said that They are waiting for further investigation. against three officials of this ministry, who received money in their accounts, millionaire sums, one of them had Bs 3 million in their accounts and received money from Santos Cruz.
Despite this evidence, said the lawyer, up to now The extension of the investigation was not known. andn against these three people. So far there are six who are listed as accused, recalled Abel Loma.
