The never-ending Odebrecht saga

Odebrecht has managed to get the Administrative Court of Public Procurement to revoke the decision of the Tocumen International Airport to terminate the contract with that company for the construction of terminal 2 and disqualify it from participating in other tenders with the State. The decision of the aforementioned court was made, despite the fact that it is enough to visit that terminal to realize that the Brazilian company has offered to deliver an unfinished work, with multiple defects that have not been corrected for years. There are billions of dollars of investment, so these delays are unjustifiable, without taking into account the way in which Odebrecht obtained these and most of its contracts with the Panamanian State: fictitiously valuing the works and then keeping part of the money from those contracts. and, at the same time, pay bribes to officials who are currently facing trial. But, in addition, Odebrecht has failed to pay a fine – of $200 million – that was imposed for its criminal conduct in obtaining contracts in Panama. All of this makes us wonder why Odebrecht continues trying to participate in tenders in Panama, when it clearly cannot honor its commitments or deliver its works complete. – LA PRENSA, Jan 12.