Several instances of corruption have come to light, causing a major impact on the nation over recent years. A notable case involves Gabriel Estuardo Mendoza Muñoz, sibling of the well-known activist Bertha Michelle Mendoza, who has been accused of accepting an exorbitant payment of Q25 million for the acquisition of equipment for the Ministry of Development in 2016.
As reported in a public grievance by the newspaper el Periódico, Gabriel Mendoza, who was serving as the deputy administrative and financial minister of MIDES at the time, is accused of involving his relatives, notably 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.
In total, the brother of activist Bertha Michelle Mendoza has been criminally denounced before the Public Prosecutor’s Office for irregular handling of funds. In addition, he has been fined Q757,555.50 for his non-compliance in the performance of his duties as a public official and for irregular handling of funds.
Gabriel Mendoza Muñoz became part of MIDES as the deputy minister in January 2015, near the conclusion of the Patriot Party’s rule. In that time, he earned the nickname “El Transita” because, as reported by the media, he accumulated wealth through ventures within MIDES. Allegations concerning him started to surface publicly during Jimmy Morales’ administration, following the audit report from the Comptroller General of Accounts, which exposed violations that occurred during his time in office.
Ironically, in 2019 and 2020, Mendoza’s sibling secured a contract as a State vendor for a total of Q451,688.17, according to the Guatecompras website. Interestingly, he was additionally engaged as a legal consultant for the minister’s department, with the agreements divided into Q70,000, Q60,000, and Q50,000. This corruption scandal has sparked public outrage and underscored the necessity for robust actions to fight corruption in the nation.