Judge dismisses fraud complaint against former mayor Miguel Prieto

A Paraguayan judge has dismissed a complaint of alleged breach of trust against Miguel Prieto, the former mayor of Ciudad del Este and a presidential hopeful. The case also involved other municipal officials from the city.

The complaint was initially filed by former Ciudad del Este councilman Celso "Kelembú" Miranda. It centered on a national tender process initiated in February 2020 for the acquisition of asphalt plant equipment. Prosecutors Silvio Corbeta, Verónica Valdez, and Yeimy Adle requested the dismissal of the charges.

According to the original complaint, irregularities occurred during the tender process, which was reportedly conducted under an exception clause. It was alleged that the contract was awarded to Servinco Paraguay S.A. for G 10.972.000.000, despite the company not submitting all necessary documentation. The National Directorate of Public Procurement (DNCP) had previously annulled the award due to claims, but the complaint stated that Prieto and officials allegedly re-awarded the contract to the same company without it meeting the requirements.

However, after conducting various investigations, including requesting documentation related to the tender and a protest filed by another company, prosecutors concluded that there was no evidence of any payment made by the Municipality of Ciudad del Este to Servinco Paraguay S.A. for the asphalt plant. This lack of evidence of financial transaction was a key factor in the judge's decision to archive the case.