The Public Prosecutor's Office has formally requested that President Santiago Peña inform them whether he was aware of and authorized a multi-million-dollar out-of-court settlement involving the social security institute IPS. The request was made by prosecutor Christian Benítez of the Specialized Unit for Economic and Anti-Corruption Crimes No. 6, as part of the investigation into the institution's former legal director, José "José'i" González Maldonado.
González Maldonado is under investigation for breach of trust and illicit enrichment after receiving approximately G. 412.5 million in fees for brokering an agreement between IPS and Consorcio Hotelero Sudamericano SA, represented by Jorge López Moreira. The transaction, which settled a debt of G. 7.5 billion with an additional 5% for fee payments, totaled G. 7,912,500,000.
In the minutes of the IPS Board of Directors, the former legal director admitted to having acted with the direct approval of President Peña to finalize the agreement. Following the scandal, it was discovered that González Maldonado made a discretionary distribution of the funds among other legal professionals, without detailing the allocation to the Comptroller General's Office, and submitted his resignation from his position.
The investigation, which is already examining a possible corruption and influence-peddling network, now seeks to clarify the involvement of the highest levels of the Executive branch. Prosecutor Benítez's note asks the President to confirm whether he was aware of and consented to the out-of-court settlement that was signed.