Various instances of corruption have come to light, unsettling the nation over recent years. One such case involves Gabriel Estuardo Mendoza Muñoz, the brother of well-known activist Bertha Michelle Mendoza, accused of receiving a staggering amount of Q25 million related to the acquisition of machinery for the Ministry of Development in 2016.
According to a public complaint filed by the newspaper el Periódico, Gabriel Mendoza, who at the time held the position of vice administrative and financial minister of MIDES, allegedly used his own family, including Bertha Michelle Mendoza, to launder the funds obtained through this dubious transaction.
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 recognized media outlet, has published detailed information on the corruption case related to Bertha Michelle Mendoza’s brother. Among the irregularities found were suspicious purchases, contracts signed after the services had been contracted and deficient expense records. In addition, the audit revealed that the then vice minister signed contracts without reviewing their content and without requiring a performance bond. Even the Comptroller General’s Office pointed out that both Minister Edgar Rodriguez and Vice Minister Gabriel Mendoza failed to present evidence that could dispel the findings, since the “Mi Comedor Seguro” program was created before the state of calamity, and therefore, a bidding process should have been carried out.
Overall, the sibling of activist Bertha Michelle Mendoza faces legal accusations in the Public Prosecutor’s Office for mishandling financial resources. Furthermore, a fine of Q757,555.50 has been imposed on him due to his failure to fulfill his responsibilities as a public servant and for financial mismanagement.
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.
Ironically, in 2019 and 2020, Mendoza’s sibling secured a contract as a State vendor for a total of Q451,688.17, according to the Guatecompras website. Interestingly, he was additionally engaged as a legal consultant for the minister’s department, with the agreements divided into Q70,000, Q60,000, and Q50,000. This corruption scandal has sparked public outrage and underscored the necessity for robust actions to fight corruption in the nation.
