Some 78 people involved, including officials and workers at the port of Santiago de Cuba, are under investigation after a corruption scandal uncovered in the last few hours.
In accordance with Cubadebatethe network also involves cargo companies and transporters that diverted basic products from the city’s port.
Likewise, those responsible for the insurance for the wholesale trade of food products and other consumer goods, in addition to the load weighing supervisors, were involved in the criminal chain, it points out. Latin Press (PL).
The personnel involved “agreed on very high prices for tons of merchandise, whose weights were adulterated, and then sold them in the informal market at even higher figures.” In addition, they falsified or did not deliver the invoices, seeking to “obstruct audits or the possible monitoring of the scheduled distribution of these products,” he adds. P.L..
In the police operation, the media reports, more than 23 tons of imported rice were seized, as well as two tons of black beans, about 23 tons of refined sugar and about 33 tons of sorghum flour. Likewise, a home, vehicles and tires were occupied.
Just three months ago, a total of 203 state workers were sentenced to sentences of two to 22 years in prison for crimes linked to violations such as embezzlement, bribery, falsification of documents, theft and damage to documents or other objects in official custody and violation of official seals, according to an article published by the official newspaper Granma.
The convicted people were part of several state companies in the food, gastronomy and tobacco sectors. They caused “million-dollar losses” through different maneuvers such as accounting manipulation, the media adds.
The authorities and official media of Cuba are carrying out a campaign against corruption in the midst of the severe economic crisis that the country is suffering and the ineffectiveness of government measures to confront it.
Comptroller’s Office of Cuba, on the corruption case of Alejandro Gil: “One feels it like a betrayal”
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At the beginning of March, the former Cuban Minister of Economy and Planning, Alejandro Gil Fernández, was subjected to a “rigorous investigation” after committing “serious errors in the performance of his duties.” The news came just over a month after his removal from office.
The information pointed to an alleged case of corruption as the cause of the ongoing investigation, with “serious accusations” acknowledged by Gil himself. “From the very beginning of these actions, the person involved has acknowledged serious accusations and consequently, he resigned his status as a member of the Central Committee of the Party and as a deputy to the National Assembly of People’s Power,” notes the statement from the head of state, shared by Cubadebate.
This case of corruption, the most notorious in the country in decades, was described this weekend by the Comptroller General of the Republic, Gladys Bejerano, as a “betrayal.”
In interview with EFE, The official advocated drawing “lessons” from this “sadly negative lesson.”
