Ex-Defense Minister Defends Shipyard Contract Extensions, Cites 'Greater Good'

Former Defense Minister Armando Castaingdebat defended the extensions and common sense approach taken by the ministry in the acquisition of offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) from the Cardama shipyard. He appeared before a special commission investigating the process, which had been marred by delays and issues with the shipyard's performance guarantees.

Castaingdebat, who led the ministry in March 2024, explained that the decision to accept Eurocommerce's false guarantee of faithful performance and extend deadlines for Cardama to provide necessary documentation was made with the ultimate goal of Uruguay finally acquiring the OPVs after two decades. He argued that the ministry chose a "most guaranteed path" rather than direct purchase, emphasizing that at the time, securing guarantees for military equipment construction was difficult due to the war in Ukraine.

He asserted that all actions were within legal bounds and that neither his ministry, the Delpiazzo legal firm, nor current defense authorities suspected fraud or a scam. The delay in Cardama's guarantee submission was attributed to these challenging circumstances. Castaingdebat criticized the current government's decision to terminate the contract instead of seeking a solution for a new guarantee, warning that the shipyard's international lawsuit could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Meanwhile, Deputy Pablo Abdala's request for a copy of the international lawsuit was denied by the Presidency's Deputy Secretary, citing potential harm to the country's financial, economic, and monetary stability. Abdala criticized this decision as arbitrary and part of a pattern of "concealment" throughout the process, preventing legislators, media, and the public from knowing the lawsuit's terms, arguments, and amount.