Hot seat VP orders report of national crisis umbrella spending

Panama Vice President, José Gabriel Carrizo, skirting the edge of a storm that threatens to cloud the image of the presidency reported on Wednesday, April 29 that he has instructed the COVID-19 Purchasing Commission to carry out the first accounting on  “the use of the resources assigned to the attention of the pandemic ”.

According to Carrizo, the report will be submitted to the country every Wednesday.

He said on Twitter that he has also requested the National Directorate of Public Procurement (PanamáCompra), to upload to the transparency section all purchases made by the ongoing Ministry of the Presidency, with emergency funds in this period.

The vice president’s announcement comes amid the scandal due to several

investigations by the Public Ministry (MP), due to the acquisition of equipment and articles in the midst of the pandemic, through the Ministry of the Presidency.

They include the acquisition of  100 hospital ventilators 100 fans at a price of $ 48,950 each and the purchase of millions of bottles of alcohol-based gel. and controversial

The scandal led to the resignation of the presidency vice minister, Juan Carlos Muñoz, and his replacement by  Carlos García.

Meanwhile  Carrizo’s name has figured in reports of contracts linked to the presidency which allegedly involve a  supplier conflict of interest and,which passed through his hands.

Many sectors of the country have called for transparency in contracts issued under the coronavirus national emergency umbrella.