They impose an insurance measure on the former governor of Arauca due to irregularities with the PAE

The Bogotá High Court imposed custodial assurance measure on former Arauca Governor José Facundo Castillo Cisneros, after the Attorney General's Office requested such an appeal. The investigating body obtained evidence that would prove that the former official is allegedly responsible for the irregularities detected in a contract related to the School Meal Plan (PAE).

The events were presented on 23 April 2020 and relate to the modification to the contract for the provision of services No. 469 of December 2019, which was signed to the temporary union 'Alimentar Arauca'. The objective of this program was to ensure food service in prioritized official colleges.

The Prosecutor's Office explained that the then president went to a measure allowed by the covid-19 emergency. “It changed the type of ration from 'prepared in place' to 'prepared at home' and set the delivery of a basic food basket that would equal 20 rations for each child, worth $105,800,” the Prosecutor's Office said in a press release, noting that with that decision, the Government of Arauca intended to reach 18,036 beneficiaries.

However, the entity has evidentiary material that “accounts for inconsistencies in the processing and conclusion of the modification contract”. According to the investigation, three quotations would have been used to meet a requirement, “but there was no real market study to define the cost of the food component.” For their part, the accounting experts of the Technical Investigation Corps (CTI) of the Prosecutor's Office, detected a possible cost overrun of $860′975,373, among other possible anomalies.

Given this, a delegate prosecutor charged the former president with the crimes of contract without compliance with legal requirements and embezzlement for appropriation in favor of third parties before the Supreme Court of Justice.

It should be noted that Castillo Cisneros has been deprived of liberty since October last year, for allegedly having committed the crime of financing terrorism, by handing over contracts to subjects linked to the Domingo Laín Sáenz front of the ELN. In addition, in the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation there is a statement of objections against him for irregularities in other public contracts.

Charges for corruption

The Prosecutor's Office reported on March 2 that it obtained new evidence involving Castillo Cisneros in irregularities in the recruitment processes, which it would have promoted during the periods in which he held office between 2012 - 2015 and 2020 - 2021.

According to the Attorney General's Office, Castillo Cisneros ordered payment of the final balance of the contract for the construction of the José Eustacio Rivera Coliseum, in the municipality of Saravena, without the work being fully executed during its administration 2012-2015.

The latest evidence provided by the investigating body indicated that contracts No. 497 of October 9, 2013 and contract No. 362 of October 10, 2013 — which were intended to provide furniture for educational centers in the department — contain false and cost quotations. In the first, the cost overrun reached 1,450 million pesos; while the second exceeded $619 billion.

The Prosecutor's Office announced at that time that it will charge the former governor with charges for the offenses of contract without compliance and legal requirements and embezzlement for aggravated appropriation.

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