Mirtha Fernández brings five witnesses who “do not remember much” about ghost projects

Mirtha Fernández’s defense brought five witnesses to court to support its claim that Valenzuela’s paving and playground projects were completed in 2019, before the complaint over “ghost projects.” But the witnesses offered few precise details, repeatedly placing the work only vaguely before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Agronomist Emilio Téllez, the first expert to testify, said the works existed and that their value had depreciated over time. He acknowledged, however, that he could not determine when they had been built. His appraisal reflected the condition of the works when he inspected them, not their original construction date.

Téllez also could not confirm that the works he inspected were the specific projects under dispute. He said he reviewed the list provided to him and found the listed works, but he did not examine the contracts or their technical specifications. He told prosecutor Luz Guerrero that he had received only a worksheet for checking the projects.

Surveyor Benjamín Mareco then testified that the mayor’s brother took him to the sites as a guide. Mareco said he used a satellite system to mark each project, but also reported finding a playground outside Valenzuela’s municipal boundaries. The testimony came as Fernández faces trial for breach of trust over alleged losses of 1.199 billion guaraníes during her 2019 administration. Prosecutors say four Colorado councilors inspected the sites in 2021, found the works missing, and filed the complaint. They allege the projects were later carried out with funds from the 2021-2022 municipal period, resulting in a second payment.

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I cannot determine the construction date. I give the value as of when I conducted the appraisal. The valuation I made was based on the current situation.