October 3, 2024, 4:00 AM
October 3, 2024, 4:00 AM
The shadow of the Corruption affects the Food Production Support Company (Emapa).
Two officials were arrested and sent to prison preventively for the crime of illicit enrichment. The Prosecutor’s Office reported that these two people recorded unusual money movements in relation to their income. This generated a wave of criticism from legislators who They called for the dismissal of the general manager of this state company, Franklin Flores.
From the company they keep their distance in the investigations and They assured that the detainees no longer work in the public company. This explanation does not convince the assembly members who have even asked that the destination of the more than $1 billion that the State transferred to the firm since its creation 12 years ago be investigated.
The prosecutor Dubravka Jordán explained that the accused are being investigated for illicit enrichment and that some preliminary elements have been collected, in addition a visual inspection was carried out and their bank accounts were reviewed.
He also explained that currently, they are waiting for reports from other entities, such as the Comptroller’s Office and the Financial System Supervision Authority (ASFI=), to advance the investigation.
One of the detainees was a legal advisor and the other was in charge of logistics at Emapa. The first is in the San Pedro penitentiary center and the second in the Obrajes female orientation center. Through the investigation, an increase in his assets has been verified, amounting to Bs 1.6 million, which has been detected through bank deposits.
Although the manager of Emapa indicated that these people are no longer part of the entity, The prosecutor pointed out that even more people are being summoned, Therefore, the involvement of other officials is not ruled out.
In this context, the deputy Héctor Arce denounced multiple irregularities and acts of corruption that, according to him, have been institutionalized in Emapa.
He mentioned that Emapa inaugurated industrial plants without having electricity, as in the case of Viachaand that there are other plants, such as the potato plant in El Alto, that operate without health records, operating licenses or property rights.
The deputy pointed out that it is already investigating six people involved in these acts of corruptionof which four are already detained.
President Luis Arce asked to take more forceful measures and immediately dismiss Franklin Flores, whom he held directly responsible for protecting and shielding the corrupt within the institution.
Arce also recounted a recent episode in Cochabamba, where only 200 arrobas of rice were being sold to a limited number of people, leaving many others without the possibility of purchasing the product. According to the deputy, these events reflect poor management of resources and accuse Flores of being linked to the legitimation of illicit profits.
Along these lines, the deputy Aldo Terrazas expressed concern about acts of corruption and poor management within Emapa. For the legislator, the officials involved in these irregularities should be suspended, including the manager and the company’s legal advisor.
The legislator recalled that this state company, in 12 years of existence, received an investment of more than $1 billion, And yet, the company operates at a loss and depends on state subsidies to survive.
“It is worrying that a company that operates at a loss, in addition to being subsidized, is involved in acts of corruption,” declared the deputy, referring to the mismanagement at Emapa, a company that has a presence in all nine departments of Bolivia.
The deputy also indicated that he requested detailed reports to the National Management of Emapa, with the objective of understanding how a company of such magnitude, which receives constant support from the General Treasury of the Nation, may be involved in acts of corruption. According to him, these irregularities directly affect Bolivians, who subsidize the company with their taxes.
The deputy Alejandro Reyes expressed concern about recent cases of corruption in the state. He mentioned that the arrest of officials for an embezzlement of 1.6 million is a clear indication of irregularities within the entity.. The deputy stressed that “something very strange is happening in Emapa,” and that these complaints have been circulating for a long time without an adequate response.
He insisted that the first step must be the dismissal of the Emapa manager and the need to make transparent the work carried out in the state company. He pointed out that these types of situations are not new in the current management, and that they are “trying to cover the sun with one finger.”
