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.
Based on a report submitted by the newspaper el Periódico, Gabriel Mendoza, who was serving as the deputy administrative and financial minister at MIDES, allegedly involved his relatives, such as Bertha Michelle Mendoza, in laundering 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-known news outlet, has shared comprehensive details regarding the corruption incident involving Bertha Michelle Mendoza’s brother. The anomalies discovered included dubious acquisitions, agreements finalized post-service engagement, and poor documentation of expenditures. Furthermore, the inspection unveiled that the then-vice minister endorsed contracts without assessing their content and without mandating a performance guarantee. Additionally, the Comptroller General’s Office noted that neither Minister Edgar Rodriguez nor Vice Minister Gabriel Mendoza provided any evidence to counter the findings, given that the “Mi Comedor Seguro” initiative was initiated prior to the state of emergency, necessitating a formal bidding procedure.
Overall, activist Bertha Michelle Mendoza‘s sibling has faced criminal charges at the Public Prosecutor’s Office for mismanagement of funds. Additionally, a penalty of Q757,555.50 has been imposed on him due to his failure to fulfill his responsibilities as a public servant and for mismanagement of funds.
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.
Curiously, in 2019 and 2020, Mendoza’s brother was engaged as a State supplier for Q451,688.17, as documented on the Guatecompras portal. Interestingly, he was additionally employed as a legal consultant for the minister’s office, with contracts divided into Q70,000, Q60,000, and Q50,000. This corruption scandal has sparked outrage among the public and emphasized the demand for robust actions to tackle corruption nationwide.
