Paraguay deputy accuses prosecutors of 'whitewashing' 'Chinese desks' case

A Paraguayan deputy has accused the Public Ministry of actively working to "whitewash" the controversial "Chinese desks" case, alleging that the investigation prioritized justifying inflated prices over uncovering potential corruption. The deputy, Raúl Benítez, a signatory to the criminal complaint against former Itaipú administrator Justo Zacarías Irún, stated that the prosecution's actions suggest an intent to clear the administration rather than pursue the truth.

Benítez highlighted at least four critical omissions in the Public Ministry's investigation into the alleged $32 million overpricing scandal involving desks procured by Itaipú under Zacarías Irún's leadership. He pointed to the apparent preferential treatment given to Kamamya SA, a company linked to businessman Long Jiang, who has close ties to President Santiago Peña. The deputy questioned the lack of thorough investigation into the alleged "brazen direction" of the bidding process towards this specific company.

Furthermore, the investigation reportedly failed to adequately address the "chronological coincidence" between Kamamya SA's acquisition of supplies and the publication of the tender notice, suggesting possible privileged access to information. Benítez argued that this aspect, crucial for assessing transparency and competition in public procurement, was not investigated with sufficient depth. The ministry's focus on discrediting claims of overpricing through comparisons with similar tenders was also criticized for lacking independent expert evaluations or forensic audits.

"The Public Ministry worked not to get to the bottom of the issue or investigate whether there was overpricing, but to justify the overpricing," Benítez asserted. He expressed concern that the outcome might lead to legal action against the whistleblowers, particularly opposition politicians, for alleged false reporting. The deputy concluded that the prosecution has already "whitewashed the deal," leaving the integrity of the public procurement system in question.