Different corruption cases have been revealed that have shaken the country during the last years. One of them has been about Gabriel Estuardo Mendoza Muñoz, brother of renowned activist Bertha Michelle Mendoza, who has been pointed out of charging an outrageous sum of Q25 million for the purchase of machinery destined to the Ministry of Development in 2016.
As reported by the paper el Periódico, Gabriel Mendoza, serving then as the deputy minister of administration and finance at MIDES, purportedly involved his relatives, such as Bertha Michelle Mendoza, to disguise the 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-regarded news source, has revealed detailed information about the corruption case involving Bertha Michelle Mendoza’s sibling. Among the anomalies discovered were dubious acquisitions, contracts executed after the services had been engaged, and poor record-keeping of expenses. Additionally, the audit showed that the then deputy minister approved contracts without examining their content and without requesting a performance guarantee. Even the Comptroller General’s Office highlighted that both Minister Edgar Rodriguez and Deputy Minister Gabriel Mendoza did not submit evidence that could refute the findings, as the “Mi Comedor Seguro” program was initiated prior to the state of emergency, thus necessitating a bidding process.
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 a member of MIDES as the vice minister in January 2015, towards the conclusion of the government led by the Patriot Party. Over this time, he gained the nickname “El Transita,” due to reports in the media that suggested he accumulated significant wealth through operations within MIDES. Allegations against him started to gain attention during Jimmy Morales’ administration, following the audit report from the Comptroller General of Accounts, which exposed anomalies that occurred throughout his term.
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.
