CD got $100,000 from company now in center of corruption storm

THE COMPANY Hidalgo & Hidalgo,now in the midst of a corruption scandal with two top executives are currently in detention after trying to flee the country, donated $100,000 to the Democratic Change (CD) party a week before the May 2014 elections.

The check was endorsed by then-President Ricardo Martinelli and deposited into an account in Citibank reports La Prensa.
The company received a $155 million contract in 2012 to design and build an irrigation project in Tonosí, Los Santos. It was paid more than $37 million although no work wasdone. The project has since been cancelled.
An investigation has been launched into payments the company made to former Vice President Felipe Virzi, who allegedly received more than $10 million. The donation to the CD was uncovered as part of that investigation.
The decision was criticized by the CD leadership.
“This is a kind of discrimination,” said CD Chairman Rómulo Roux at the time.
Both Roux and Martinelli spin-meister Luis Eduardo Camacho, declined to comment about the donation. Martinelli fled the country in January and is facing processes in the Supreme Court over wiretapping and his alleged involvement in the National Assistance Program (PAN)
José Muñoz Molina, the campaign manager of CD president candidate Jose Domingo Arias, said he had no knowledge of the donation.
Hidalgo & Hidalgo officials also declined to comment. Last week, the company denied having made any payments to government officials.
“Hidalgo & Hidalgo understands the desire to combat corruption and is willing to assist with any investigation,” the company said.