Prosecutor examining government funded call center allegations

AN INVESTIGATION is underway by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's office into  the existence of a call center that worked for  CD presidential candidate José Domingo Arias, allegedly funded with state money.

The Public Ministry (MP) said Monday May 5 that the Attorney General , Ana Belfon , ordered last week an official investigation d to determine whether any offense committed against the public administration. The revelations came from a supervisor at the center GianCarlos Terán. The center on Avenida Balboa was controlled by Tourism Manager and Martinelli confidant Salomon Shammah and The ex-head of Immigation María Cristina González. She was removed from office after a scandal involving the issuing of visas to Asians, but was given a new job in the Martinelli Administration. Shama, who had his US Visa suspended after WikiLeaks revealed he was under investigation by the DEA, survived the threat of dismissal by President Ricardo Martinelli, who had said after the revelations that the new tourism boss would be a woman. Shamah and Gonzalez will lose their positions when Juan Carlos Varela takes office and the housecleaning begins.

Prosecutor Lizzett Chevalier is analyzing published newspaper clippings and reports in the local media as part of her research.