GUATEMALA. Eduardo Meyer officially filed his permanent resignation on Wednesday from the post of president of the Guatemalan Congress. The cause of his resignation is the recent scandal of irregularities in management of funds of the Parliament. About 11 million dollars where deposited in a private investment firm (MDF) and where not recovered, as Guatemala Times reported earlier this week.
He insists he was not aware of the transaction and that his former private secretary Byron Sanchez and Parliament financial director Jose Conde, both currently wanted by justice, are responsible for the transaction.
The scandal for the diversion of funds intensified last week when investment firm MDF, where the funds where deposited, Director Raul Giron declared himself unable to raise that amount of money and give it back to the Parliament coffers.
Giron had time to flee before being accused of fraud by the Attorney General's Office, which requested his capture and ordered to freeze his assets and bank accounts.
Eduardo Meyer intends to return to parliament to occupy his seat as a regular member of the Guatemalan Parliament. As of today, the new president of the legislative body is Aristides Crespo, who was provisionally performing those duties.
This new scandal further erodes the confidence and trust of the Guatemalan people in their official institutions.
In this particular case all involved government sectors failed in investigating the mismanagement of funds and taking the appropriate actions in a timely manner, the Parliament, the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney General's Office, and the highest Guatemalan Supervisory entity of Bancs and Investment Firms.
It confirms that transparency in the management of governmental funds and the Guatemalan banking and investment sector are of the utmost importance and priority for the country.
It also confirms that the Attorney General office and the highest Guatemalan Supervisory entity of Bancs and Investment Firms do not have the will or the technical capabilities to do their job.
Photo: La Hora
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