Allegations of corruption in former president Mujica’s failed project – MercoPress

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Uruguay: Allegations of Corruption in Failure of Former President Mujica’s Animal Project Monday August 23, 2021 – 09:10 UTC What Remains of the Gas de Sayago LNG Plant Project Promoted by Former President Mujica

A major corruption scandal is unfolding in Uruguay with a favorite project of former President Jose Mujica, which he attempted to implement during his 2010/2015 term but failed with cumulative losses of at least $ 300 million.

And to make matters even more obscure, it has now emerged that, despite the fact that the project was considered unviable already in 2015, the management staff continued to travel, dine, party and spend money. money by paying with project credit cards.

Indeed, last week, members of the board of directors of two of Uruguay’s largest state-owned companies, UTE (energy) and ANCAP (fuel and refining) took the matter to court and filed a complaint arguing that the executives of Gas Sayago, the joint venture that would receive, store and distribute liquid natural gas in Uruguay, would have caused very serious economic damage to the state, taking advantage of public funds, ?? and that could have been interrupted.

UTE President Silvia Emaldi said that following the audit of PWC, (Price, Waterhouse, Coopers) she was forced to file the formal complaint in court.

ANCAP vice-president Diego Durand underlined that according to the company’s minutes, ANCAP president Raul Sendic (whom Mujica was preparing to succeed him as presidential candidate) as well as other members of the board of directors and general manager Marta Jara organized and approved the first trips and contacts for the LNG Gas plant in Sayago.

Additionally, Durand said that for negotiations to continue, Mujica signed a sovereign bond in favor of the fledgling company, which meant Uruguay took full responsibility for the project.

Emaldi and Durand added that Deloitte’s external audit had already pointed out on December 13, 2015 that the whole deal was uncertain and recommended to refrain from continuing. UTE apparently declared in 2013 that the entire LNG plant project had “negative profitability”.

Durand continued, “in other words, it was time to cut your losses and retire,” but management capriciously and arbitrarily continued to spend funds on salaries, travel and other expenses. These included trips to Korea, Singapore, the United States as well as expensive restaurants and gyms ??.

Apparently four people had access to corporate credit cards and a thirst for spending, then ANCAP CEO Marta Jara, Deputy CEO Veronica Lizagarra, Pedro Aurrecochea, and German Martinez CFO.,

According to Durand, chief executive Marta Jara had already booked him the role of CEO of the new company, while the four dynamic directors spent some US $ 290,000 on overseas travel, US $ 247,000 on school and study. third cycle in view of the future LNG plant. and another US $ 212,000 in food, hotels and other amenities. All of this?

Likewise, a few million more dollars will be needed to remove all the concrete, columns and iron infrastructure from the that will never be planted which has become an environmental hazard and has left artisanal fishermen without their fishing grounds. .

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