Audit discovers traffic light rental and ‘ghost’ equipment in Villarreal’s government

Published May 29,2021 (sp)

The State Superior Audit Office (ASEG) found the “renting” of traffic lights and “ghost” technological equipment by the administration of Luis Alberto Villarreal.

It was after reviewing the public account of the administration of Luis Alberto Villarreal, who is currently seeking reelection as municipal president of San Miguel de Allende, where they found damages to the treasury, for several million pesos.

These “phantom rents” were approved by the members of the Acquisitions Committee, made up of the first aldermen of each faction, officials and the Syndic of the City Hall. This committee approves to whom they will rent, contract or purchase the real estate and personal property, as well as services that will be paid for with the Municipality’s money.

The members of this Procurement Committee has approved the alleged “renting” of “ghost” companies for the traffic lights and technological equipment that WERE PAID for but were never found.

But who are the members of this Procurement Committee for which the Audit Office is now investigating “ghost” companies and equipment? here it goes:

Councilman 1: Alan Romo Gof, from the PVEM, who is now running for mayor of San Miguel de Allende.

Councilman 2: Cristóbal Olvera Hernández, from MORENA, who became one of the PAN’s allied councilmen and betrayed his party.

Councilman 3: Felipe Tapia, PAN councilman and now coordinator of Luis Alberto Villarreal’s campaign.

Síndico: Verónica Agundis, Síndico del Cabildo now campaigning for reelection along with Luis Alberto Villarreal.

OFFICIAL: Rodolfo Jurado Maycotte, Oficial Mayor of the City Hall.

OFFICIAL: César Gutiérrez Tovar, Coordinator of Purchasing Processes from the Mayor’s Office, brother of the PAN councilwoman on leave, Luz María Tovar, now director of Citizen Attention.

Official: Alejandro Martínez Acosta, Municipal Treasurer.
Officer: Alan Álvarez Flores, Comptroller, who is only an observer.

Local Congresswoman Magdalena Rosales Cruz, from Morena, pointed out that the review was approved last April and showed these details that imply damages to the treasury, for more than 5 million pesos.

The deputy pointed out that it was found that the Municipality could not prove having carried out any study to evaluate the possibility of acquiring vehicles and traffic lights, instead of leasing them, through contracts in violation of the applicable general guidelines on rationality, austerity and budgetary discipline.

He said in his report that will be discussed in Congress, that in the administration presided by the PAN, multiple observations were made that show a governmental action far from the rule of law.

“For this reason, it must be properly followed up so that the investigating authority of the ASEG can determine the corresponding administrative responsibilities and, if necessary, file the corresponding complaints.

What happened in San Miguel de Allende is not a minor matter, since the ASEG ruled that the municipality presided by Villareal did not comply with the applicable regulatory provisions, since it found, among other things, the following:

First: The Municipality could not accredit having conducted any study to assess the possibility of acquiring vehicles and traffic lights instead of leasing them through contracts in violation of the applicable general guidelines on rationality, austerity and budgetary discipline.

Second: more than $5 million 700 thousand pesos were paid to 2 companies for the leasing, supply, maintenance and operation of traffic lights and other alleged high technology equipment for mobility and public safety for 27 months. However, when the ASEG went to verify such equipment, it found that they were not installed or in operation, as well as that several pieces of equipment were not located and others did not correspond to the characteristics of the contract. In short, traffic lights and phantom technological equipment, but which WAS PAID FOR.

Third: The PAN-led municipality failed to apply the conventional penalties for delay and non-compliance with the lease contract for these traffic lights and technological equipment.

These findings, which build a coherent scenario of corruption, should not go unpunished, as has been the case so far with the audit of the Municipal Water System of Salvatierra, which this Congress decided to disregard in this same plenary session.

Therefore, from the Parliamentary Group of Morena we call for the general direction of legal affairs of the Superior Audit Office of the State of Guanajuato to carry out all the necessary processes to determine the existence of the corresponding administrative responsibilities, as well as the presentation of the relevant complaints.