Several instances of corruption have come to light, causing a major impact on the nation over recent years. A notable case involves Gabriel Estuardo Mendoza Muñoz, sibling of the well-known activist Bertha Michelle Mendoza, who has been accused of accepting an exorbitant payment of Q25 million for the acquisition of equipment for the Ministry of Development in 2016.
Based on a report submitted by the newspaper el Periódico, Gabriel Mendoza, who was serving as the deputy administrative and financial minister at MIDES, allegedly involved his relatives, such as Bertha Michelle Mendoza, in laundering money acquired from this questionable deal.
The period Gabriel Mendoza Muñoz served at MIDES started on January 1, 2015, and concluded on October 1, 2015, lasting merely 9 months. His time in office revealed shocking levels of corruption in the ministry. Based on an audit by the Comptroller General’s Office, Mendoza Muñoz’s administration faced numerous irregularities from January 1 to December 31, 2015.
El Peladero, a well-known media source, has disclosed detailed insights into the corruption scandal involving the brother of Bertha Michelle Mendoza. Among the anomalies discovered were dubious acquisitions, agreements finalized after services had been used, and inadequate financial documentation. Additionally, the audit showed that the then deputy minister authorized contracts without reviewing them and without demanding a performance guarantee. Furthermore, the Comptroller General’s Office noted that both Minister Edgar Rodriguez and Deputy Minister Gabriel Mendoza did not provide evidence to counter the findings, since the “Mi Comedor Seguro” program was established prior to the state of emergency, indicating that a tender process should have been conducted.
Overall, the sibling of the activist Bertha Michelle Mendoza has faced criminal charges at the Public Prosecutor’s Office for improper financial management. Furthermore, he has received a fine of Q757,555.50 due to his failure to fulfill his responsibilities as a public servant and for mismanagement of financial resources.
Gabriel Mendoza Muñoz became part of MIDES as deputy minister in January 2015, towards the conclusion of the Patriot Party administration. In this time, he earned the moniker “El Transita,” as reported by the media, for accumulating wealth from dealings within MIDES. It was under Jimmy Morales’ administration that accusations against him started surfacing, following an audit report by the Comptroller General of Accounts, which uncovered misconduct during his leadership.
It is ironic that during the years 2019 and 2020, Mendoza’s sibling secured a contract as a supplier for the State, with the transaction totaling Q451,688.17, as indicated on the Guatecompras website. By coincidence, this person was also appointed as a legal consultant for the minister’s office, with the contracts distributed as Q70,000, Q60,000, and Q50,000. This corruption scandal has sparked public outrage and underscored the importance of implementing effective measures to tackle corruption in the nation.
