Itá Mayor Eliecel Achucarro and municipal council members filed a complaint against former mayor Jorge Di Martino on September 2 with the Specialized Unit for Economic and Anti-Corruption Crimes of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Asunción. The complaint alleges overcharging and other irregularities in the execution of 12 public works projects.
The measure was decided by the Municipal Council after an external financial and accounting audit conducted during the administrative transition. Achucarro said the municipality took over with a negative balance of G. 230 million in so-called genuine revenue.
According to the report submitted by the complainants, the 12 projects were contracted through an exceptional procedure on the grounds of unavoidable urgency, but did not receive the required approval from the National Directorate of Public Procurement (DNCP). The contracts also allegedly lacked the corresponding codes, and the projects were paid for in full without a formal award, according to the current municipal administration’s account.
The alleged overcharge was estimated at more than G. 1.4 billion over six months. An earlier complaint mentioned 10 projects without complete documentation, such as an award decision or handover record, as well as payments made before the work was completed. Since the information is still being investigated, the amounts and criminal responsibility have not been confirmed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Council member Juan Cárdenas said the audit also identified delays in depositing municipal revenues. He cited an accumulation of up to G. 9 billion during that period and said that more than G. 1.3 billion allegedly was not deposited in April alone. The use of royalty revenues to pay salaries was also cited as a practice that, according to the complainants, is prohibited by law.
Di Martino left office to run for re-election in the municipal elections on October 4. He was chosen by the Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA) as the official candidate of List 2. After his resignation, Achucarro took over the administration and ordered the administrative review that prompted the audit. The complaint will now be examined by the Public Prosecutor’s Office unit responsible for investigating economic crimes and corruption.