In 2021, the Ministry of National Defense (MDN) paid a total of $13,447,843 (which translates to about US$330,000) to three private clubs, exclusively for military personnel: the Naval Club, the Center for Sub-Officials of the Navy and the Air Force Club.
These amounts were sent by the MDN to pay electricity, water, gas and telephone bills, which came from budgets assigned to “supplies” from each arm of the armed forces, according to the newspaper The Observer based on a request for information.
In the data returned in the request for reports, it can be read that the Navy does not even know when the bills of the Naval Club began to be paid because “there is no exact record”, but it is stated that it dates from “many years ago”.
The payments made in 2021 for said club were:
- $885,865 for OSE bills
- $1,527,770 for UTE invoices
- $325,643 for gas bills
- $36,500 for ANTEL invoices.
In total, he received $2,802,778.
For the Sub Officers Center was transferred:
- $202,558 for UTE invoices
- $17,873 for ANTEL invoices.
Additionally, up to six soldiers were sent to this location to carry out various operational tasks.
The newspaper also published that the Navy did not pay any bills to the Maritime League, but it did send soldiers to carry out different tasks.
Stopped Payments
In the month of July, the Minister of National Defense, Javier García, sent three letters to the commanders of the three arms of the army ordering them to immediately cease payments to private clubs, and to stop sending soldiers to do work.
This temporary cessation, to carry out a review, was taken by the hierarch after receiving reports that let him know that these payments were being made from public money, despite being private clubs.
None of the organizations made compensation for having received the money.
