The Public Ministry can investigate ex officio the patrimonial growth of President Mario Abdo Benítez in the most critical year of the pandemic, however, for the moment it expects an opinion from the Comptroller General of the Republic.
The Prosecutor Silvio Corbeta, from the Economic Crimes and Anti-Corruption Unit, referred in an interview with Universo / Nación Media radio to the pronounced wealth enrichment of Mario Abdo Benítez in the worst year of the pandemic. In 2021, the company Aldia SA achieved multimillion-dollar profits that in a single year increased 1,290% compared to 2017 (when Abdo was not in power).
In this regard, the prosecutor indicated that the exposed circumstance is noted because it is of national interest, but clarified that first it must be considered that there are mechanisms for opening investigations. In this case, to investigate the figure of a president for alleged illicit enrichment, the entity that must promote an investigation is the Comptroller’s Officein his opinion.
He elaborated that this comptroller institution must investigate and in the case of detecting indications of punishable acts, it must refer them to the Public Ministry so that it can evaluate opening a case in this regard. “For us, an opinion from the Comptroller’s Office on this situation is first of all important,” he added.
Related note: Enrichment of Marito in the worst year of the pandemic: the Prosecutor’s Office must investigate, according to the Comptroller
However, the interviewee acknowledged that it is also feasible to open an investigation in the Prosecutor’s Office given the possibility that there may have been collusion, influence peddling and acts of corruption in the mechanism implemented with the asphalt of the routes and the profit that Marito’s company had, but that for this situation to occur, legal channels must be followed.
“When we are going to open an investigation, we have to abide by certain procedural requirements, such as Art. 18. There is a prior analysis to determine if certain circumstances could eventually be grounds for investigation. I understand the discontent of the citizenry, but we in this Rule of Law must frame ourselves within the law. It must be submitted for analysis before an investigation ”, he argued.
Finally he commented that the provision for the opening of an ex officio investigation as a result of the journalistic publications can be given by the General Prosecutor’s Office or by the Deputy Prosecutor’s Office. In addition, the case can be inquired into if the unit receives a specific complaint.
Also read: In 2021, Abdo’s asphalt company earned 13 times more than in 2017
Undoubtedly, the President did very well in the worst year of the pandemic. Almost US$ 13 million dollars (Gs 92,647 million) earned in a single year (2021) Marito’s asphalt company. Giving a figure of G. 273 million per day; G. 12 million per hour. The firm Storage and Distribution of Asfaltos SA (Aldia SA) registered in 2017 net profits for Gs 6,665 million, so the increase was impressive.
