the controversy following the de-linking of Dorothy Pérez of subcontralora cargo, went from a domestic spat – which could not have had great importance in the past – a conflict that has come to justice, in order to elucidate if effectively the Comptroller, Jorge Bermudez, had the power to dismiss his subordinate. But beyond cross accusations, dissonance of criteria between both authorities in cases of Codelco and criticisms by the “lack of seriousness” of “Contralorito” on Twitter, there are two factors which, according to specialists – merge underground in this case: the ineffectiveness of the Agency Inspector does not detect the so-called Pacogate, combined with an authority as Bermudez, which is “quite unusual” among his peers.
And it is that Bermudez “has not left puppet head”, say half jokingly, half seriously in the Comptroller General’s Office (CGR). Known for his love for environmental law, the lawyer has built a technical career, away from political nuclei and traditional clientele in the conflicts of power. It has built a line to the inside of the oversight body that is applauded by the majority of officials: the imprint that the institution is the “last bastion of the Republic”.
A feature of his career is the anticorruption line. Years ago, at an international seminar, said that when officials come to the office and, instead of putting to work take breakfast, it’s an “Act of corruption”, because evil used public resources, personal benefit. This same logic is that has applied in the Comptroller’s Office, which has meant him to cement a reputation of “hard” and almost authoritarian.
Holder of a sharp tongue and rather irreverent for its answers, Bermúdez recognized – in an interview with CNN Chile days ago – that “any Government can be a bit annoying, a little counteracted with a controller that is not subservient to the power”, which is recognized as an “uncomfortable controller”, which does not belong to any sector.” I have no political networks, you cannot be located in any area, I’ve been cultivating a profile of independence (…). Not I political favors to anyone”, he said that day.
For those who know, its “strong and led” character of his ideas has cost him more than some pouting in the political world, which has been in evidence in the various resolutions that have faced it with the current Government of Sebastian Pinera, as when it broke down the Protocol of conscientious objection in the abortion in three causal law presented by the Minister of health, Emilio Santelices. It has also faced Codelco, a struggle that still cannot be resolved and that it featured the active opposition of the then subcontralora Perez, who would have made “repeated pressure, along with Codelco lobbyists”, that Bermudez is not directed in such a fight, According to relate from the bosom of the supervisory entity.
It also faced the Supreme Court by the authority to settle a controversy of pensioners of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), who sought to return to Capredena, a cockerel which Bermúdez was won by the controller in the Senate.
In the previous Government, it disabled the program of environmental improvement presented by the Administration bacheletista, for the area of Puchuncavi and Quintero, who today finds itself in a new crisis of pollution by a series of events of poisonings. The controller told CNN that he did not give permission for the proposal, because this “not reduced the rates of pollution”. Without showing political preferences, it also fell on the municipality of Recoleta, led by Daniel Jadue (PC), with a terse report on the SEP platas reversed by the Directorate of education of the commune.
From the political world, they acknowledge that Bermudez has a line and a style that are different from their predecessors, “played to the limit” from their responsibilities. In Congress, most prefer to keep silent about it, but all agree that the path taken by the Comptroller is surprising and unexpected.
For the RN Deputy Gonzalo Fuenzalida, it is evident that Bermudez cultivated “a different profile to that had Ramiro Mendoza, it has encroached on issues that the controllers were not before, but always in the logic of its powers” and added that the problem translates to the time to see the interpretation of laws, because “what has happened in our country is that any jurisprudence it has been generating in courts and in some opinions of the Comptroller”.
The move of the controversial profile of the controller power has brought with it an inset media rarely seen by a conflict “as narrow as the Dorothy”, as they recognize from the Comptroller’s Office. A reason why Bermudez has opted to keep a more low profile these days, without any press and “more in silence”.
For specialists, the “different” the Comptroller’s tone is evident. “Has strived to find the limits of the law, rather than the conventional.” And from those limits, has tried to do its work and surveillance in a way that has been very remarkable, with interference even within the limits of their role,”said sociologist Alberto Mayol.
According to Mayol, the controller has an unpredictable character, “bothers to policy, that, in that sense, is severely convencionalista (…). It is obviously inconvenient, therefore that the Comptroller issues ventilated in major media figures, because he is trying to push. It is clear that there is an interest in that it does not follow”.
For political scientist Cristóbal Bellolio, Bermudez’s public profile “can enter in collision with politicians who are found with a controller that is no longer so low profile, they move their resources to impose their views, which legally is what corresponds” . He added that “you don’t that there is a positive sign the fact that Hague had revolves or problems with representatives of different sides of the political spectrum”.
The director of the school of Government and public management of the University of Chile, Ariel Ramírez, explained that the Office of the Comptroller General has the characteristic of being an autonomous agency of the State”and that its”main role is to exercise a counterweight of character legal, independent actions of the Executive power”, which would be exactly what you would be doing Bermudez.” It has opinion on the issues they incumbent and isn’t afraid to express it (…). It is exercising his role with absolute independence from political power, as it should be, according to the given constitutional and legal mandate, which is very valuable for the proper functioning of the public sector for the benefit of citizens”, said the public administrator.
On the other hand, stressed that “in a political context of crisis and distrust of public institutions, such as municipalities, the National Congress or Carabineros de Chile, the Comptroller General plays an important role to restore justice and fairness to citizens (…)” It is the first bastion of the fight against corruption (…), it is essential for a democratic society, because it establishes a mechanism of counterbalance to the actions of the Executive Branch”.
The background of the struggle beyond the fight in court for the dismissal of Dorothy Pérez, from the auditor’s Office noted that the sole concern of Bermudez, “Besides calm waters and continue working”, is prevent the institution most affected by its performance before the Pacogate, by acting “negligent” for former officials.
For this reason, they added that he is considered key to elucidate events as a summary to police lost in the year 2010, which “greatly concerned” at the CGR. On August 30 this year, Bermudez told the Chamber of deputies that are had delivered to the Research Commission of the police fraud information corresponding to the summary made by the oversight agency and, through a trade, He said that in June of 2017 the organism did not deliver “key information” for research, which would have pointed to the high command of the police uniform by “bonuses”.
According to the Comptroller Bermudez, this information would have been “hidden by internal headquarters” of 2010, but does not mention the former subcontralora Perez, who in that year was Deputy Chief of the Division of administrative audit, which depended on the Control Unit Discipline of the armed forces, led by Juan Munieres Villegas (s), now being investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office.
The next day, August 31, “Now is news” announced the notification provided by the Comptroller to police, after initiating proceedings on June 2, 2010. This document details that “improper payments of remuneration” were identified to police and stated that there may be “irregularities in the matter”, by which “responsibilities” with regard to the facts alleged must be established.
A summary that never arrived at port, since it would not count with any resolution or dismissal. Consulted on the matter, Perez told La Tercera that its content is research, but that “this summary advanced to the stage that could have come to me as Deputy”.
According to sources of the Comptroller, Bermudez’s concern with respect to his former subordinate arises in the wake of a lie, because Perez would have designated him that she never intervened in summaries that involved police and who abstained since your spouse was pilot of the institution. But the former subcontralora Yes figure with his signature in, at least, four summary involving police, including one over the division that worked their spouse, today in retirement.
This would have been seen as a “betrayal” by Bermudez and at the same time, as a danger to the Comptroller’s Office, then, to the possibility that question to the Agency for its failure to react to police fraud, “chose to cut the sound” and removed Perez from office, although it has only been convened as a witness by the prosecution.
In an interview with CNN, Bermudez said that he did it “precisely because of the institutional image and institutional prestige”. He stressed that it is not good that “a high authority is involved, somehow, in the largest fraud police,” making it “warranted make decisions (…). “This is a case that beats us very strong institutions, took place in our noses”.
Note that there are two former officials of Comptroller if found qualified as defendants in the case, Munieres and Carlos Moreno, of the Division of administrative audit. The institution is known friendship that keeps Munieres with Perez, another flank that would have “been cut”.
The Attorney of Magallanes, Eugenio Campos, who leads the investigation of the “Pacogate”, not only investigates the edge of the middle of the Comptroller, would also on his radar a meeting that would have kept the then general Gordon who in the year 2010, leading the Comptroller that year, Ramiro Mendoza. According to detailed information “News now”, both met after outside notified police of the summary, reason for which no course would have given to research.
2017, in full explosion of fraud of Carabineros, Mendoza was consulted by the role of the auditor’s Office in the investigation of the case. In an interview given to El Mercurio in April 2017, he stressed that “detected irregularities in the police, but not of this magnitude. There were important findings, but I think that anyone caught much reports.”
The style of Mendoza is different from the cultivated by the Comptroller Jorge Bermudez. Was always recognized as Center-right, so much so that participated in the campaign team of Piñera and today heads the “Commission Mendoza” or permanent Advisory Council for the modernization of the State, space that addresses the current situation of the Comptroller General of the Republic and their next upgrade.
