Federal judges opened criminal proceedings against four senior former officials the administration of the former Governor of Veracruz, Javier Duarte of Ochoa for his alleged involvement in more than one billion pesos forwarding from federal funds in Veracruz, during the years 2012 and 2014.
This after the Attorney General of the Republic – formerly PGR – brought together from complaints filed by the Superior audit of the Federation (ASF), test data showing the possible responsibility of the former officials in the Commission of the crime of embezzlementwhich can reach a sentence of up to 14 years in prison.
The accused two extitulares of the Ministry of finance and planning (Sefiplan) include Government duartista, Tomas Ruiz Gonzalez and Fernando Charleston Hernández, this last addition exdiputado federal by the PRI. The other two involved are the exsubsecretarios of Finance (and also political PRI) Gabriel Deantes Ramos and Carlos Hernández Martínez.
Federal authorities with full knowledge the case pointed out that the bonding process dictated by the judges to each of the officials in recent weeks, is just the start of a series of processes that the FGR seeks to open after the more than 80 complaints filed by the ASF derived from the multimillion-dollar diversion of federal resources in Veracruz.
In fact, for next may as scheduled a new hearing in which prosecutors will request the opening of proceedings against two more former officials Government of Javier Duarte, who currently is prisoner in the Reclusorio Norte serving a sentence for money laundering.
Animal politician
published on 26 March that, to date, the ASF has detected 62 billion pesos from 14 federal funds who are missing in Veracruz, either because they were removed from the authorized accounts precedents or because its exercise has not duly credited.
In the case of the four officials mentioned at the beginning, processes that face is in the phase of “additional research”, which is a period that can last up to six months, in which the judge gives both parties time to collect items and tests that is intended to bring to trial.
In this period there is the possibility that the defendants seek through claims of amparo curb judgment orally or, failing this, an output AC declared guilty in Exchange for an express process with reduced sentences.
the charges: money diverted into health and education
against the four former officials mentioned cases arise from two portfolios of research initiated by complaints of the ASF.
The first case is that of the folder of FED/SEIDF/INAI-see-0001740/2016 investigation launched after the complaint of September 12, 2016. In this case the investigations have concluded that at least 261 million pesos of the so-called Regional Fund (FONREGION) were diverted or poorly managed in 2012 in Veracruz.
The FONREGION is a federal fund that is given to some States in order to finance programmes and actions that facilitate access to basic services of health and education in vulnerable areas.
Given that it was money transferred to the Ministry of finance and planning (Sefiplan) of the entity, research identified as one of those chiefly responsible for its mishandling the then holder of such dependence, Tomas Ruiz Gonzalez.
On March 12 the hearing was held in the federal courts of Xalapa where the judge considered that there was enough initial evidence to open trial to Ruiz for the crime of embezzlement.
By this same case in particular the Prosecutor’s Office also found evidence to proceed against two former officials Veracruz more (presumably also of Sefiplan) who face your audience initial on 15 May.
The second folder of research which already resulted in a trial opened against several former officials is the number FED/SEIDF/INAI-see-0000782/2017. The complaint arose from December 23, 2016.
In this case, the audit reported the possible diversion of 891 million pesos of the so-called Fund of multiple contributions (FAM) in the public mind from the year 2014. It’s a fund referred to basic education-related services.
For this case the FGR has requested and obtained Auto link process against Fernando Charleston on January 22, Carlos Hernández on March 5, and Gabriel Deantes on March 11. All of them before federal judges.
It should be noted that in all these cases the accused former officials face processes in freedom as we considered not necessary to undergo preventive detention. However they are obliged to attend the hearings and they can not leave the country.
According to article 223 of the Federal Penal Code, public servants who have committed the crime of embezzlement could reach una penalty ranging from two to fourteen years in prisondepending on the severity of each case and the mo much of the money diverted from its legal use.
The above without forgetting that when any of them decided to plead guilty and opt for an abbreviated process there might be a reduction of such condemnation.
Authorities consulted said, without specifying the cases, several of the defendants have filed appeals or requests for amparo against the criminal proceedings initiated against her.
didn’t have any participation on detours: Tomás Ruiz consulted
by political Animal on the charge filed against him, the former Secretary of Finance of Veracruz Tomas Ruiz rejected any participation in events illegal and said he was confident that the investigation phase which ordered the judge will prove his innocence.
Although there were seven different secretaries of finance in the Government of Javier Duarte, Tomas Ruiz was the first and the longest. He was in office until March 2013, i.e. nearly half of the six duartista.
In a position by writing to this medium, Ruiz said that it can not elaborate on details about the process, but insisted on the phase of investigation ordered by the judge to conclude in his innocence.
“This subject is research under the supervision of a judge. I am confident that the outcome of this investigation will not be other than to confirm that I did not have any involvement in the illicit presumed. In fact, the denunciation of the ASF not I was included in as a suspect”he said.
As designated by Ruiz on the denunciation of the ASF is true, as that according to officials of that institution complaints that arise are facts, i.e., alleged fraud so they ask and identify those responsible.
In that context was the Attorney General who, as a result of the initial investigation determined that Tomas Ruiz is, among others, responsible for the possible diversion of federal resources. The judge considered that the initial signs were sufficient to initiate proceedings against the official and ordered additional investigation to gather evidence.
multiple cases Javier Duarte in Veracruz Government, so far, it is the older signs for diversion of federal resources. According to the ASF data, there are more than 62 billion pesos, missing in the State.
So far the ASF has presented 81 criminal complaints to the FGR so inquire likely responsible for these deviations. In these cases the Attorney of federal crimes of the FGR has started 31 different research folders. We have managed to prosecute at least four of these folders that involve the aforementioned officials.
Allegations of several of these cases date back even for several years but were stagnant. It was only in the second half of 2018, when the then conjuntaron PGR and the ASF a special research team, which managed to unlock several of the investigations.
In addition the public prosecutor in Veracruz has driven on their own research mismanagement of resources local and possible acts of corruption. Subsequent to the Duarte State Governments have also presented various allegations.
For example, just last March 25 the Institute pension entity presented before the local prosecutor multiple complaints by mismanagement than the 14 billion pesos of the technical reserve of the Institute in recent years. The exsecretarios of finance Tomas Ruiz and Fernando Charlestón, were designated between those likely responsible.
Thanks for reading! Help us to continue with our work. How? You can now subscribe to political Animal on Facebook. With your monthly donation, you will receive special content. Find out how to subscribe here. Check our list of frequently asked questions here.
