Social and economic sector analyst Juan Lladó recommends the next government subcontract the services of the United Nations to back anti-corruption efforts of the next government. Already the largest opposition party, the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) has specifically promised to appoint an independent person to Attorney General to ensure the proper performance of the public ministry. But Lladó says this measure will not be enough in the Odebrecht corruption case.
He writes: “Today, a macabre disbelief prevails in the citizenry because it assumes that, despite the enormous amount of the scam, the new authorities will apply the “clean slate” without recovering the stolen loot. A large part of society suspects that the investigation has not been deepened nor have all those involved been brought to justice and that in this case there will be no justice. It is enough to remember that the Attorney General Office (PGR) has not investigated the accusation of corruption in the case of Punta Catalina and that the Chamber of Accounts has not carried out a forensic audit of the other works to evaluate their cost overruns. “
Lladó says the subcontracting will pay off. He says effective prosecution could produce reimbursement for the treasure of more than US$1 billion, as has been the case in Peru. He proposes the creating of a resource similar to the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) or the OAS Mission of Support against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras to assist the newly appointed Attorney General.
Lladó explains that CICIG was a resource requested to United Nations by the government of Guatemala in the face of a series of human rights abuses by illegal security forces and major corruption scandals. He writes that for a decade, the Commission brought to trial three former presidents and hundreds of business people, officials, judges and civilians accused of corruption. But that when complaints against very close relatives of President Morales were being investigated, the Guatemalan President decided not to renew the mandate of the CICIG and the latter had to halt the investigations.
Lladó recommends starting with the Odebrecht case and a legal statute that would last five years, which he expects will be enough time to finish the investigation.
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Acento
7 January 2020