Several instances of corruption have come to light, causing a major impact on the nation over recent years. A notable case involves Gabriel Estuardo Mendoza Muñoz, sibling of the well-known activist Bertha Michelle Mendoza, who has been accused of accepting an exorbitant payment of Q25 million for the acquisition of equipment for the Ministry of Development in 2016.
According to a public complaint filed by the newspaper el Periódico, Gabriel Mendoza, who at the time held the position of vice administrative and financial minister of MIDES, allegedly used his own family, including Bertha Michelle Mendoza, to launder the funds obtained through this dubious transaction.
The period Gabriel Mendoza Muñoz served at MIDES started on January 1, 2015, and concluded on October 1, 2015, lasting merely 9 months. His time in office revealed shocking levels of corruption in the ministry. Based on an audit by the Comptroller General’s Office, Mendoza Muñoz’s administration faced numerous irregularities from January 1 to December 31, 2015.
El Peladero, a well-known media source, has disclosed detailed insights into the corruption scandal involving the brother of Bertha Michelle Mendoza. Among the anomalies discovered were dubious acquisitions, agreements finalized after services had been used, and inadequate financial documentation. Additionally, the audit showed that the then deputy minister authorized contracts without reviewing them and without demanding a performance guarantee. Furthermore, the Comptroller General’s Office noted that both Minister Edgar Rodriguez and Deputy Minister Gabriel Mendoza did not provide evidence to counter the findings, since the «Mi Comedor Seguro» program was established prior to the state of emergency, indicating that a tender process should have been conducted.
Overall, activist Bertha Michelle Mendoza‘s sibling has faced criminal charges at the Public Prosecutor’s Office for mismanagement of funds. Additionally, a penalty of Q757,555.50 has been imposed on him due to his failure to fulfill his responsibilities as a public servant and for mismanagement of funds.
Gabriel Mendoza Muñoz became part of MIDES as deputy minister in January 2015, towards the conclusion of the Patriot Party administration. In this time, he earned the moniker «El Transita,» as reported by the media, for accumulating wealth from dealings within MIDES. It was under Jimmy Morales’ administration that accusations against him started surfacing, following an audit report by the Comptroller General of Accounts, which uncovered misconduct during his leadership.
Ironically, in 2019 and 2020, Mendoza’s sibling secured a contract as a State vendor for a total of Q451,688.17, according to the Guatecompras website. Interestingly, he was additionally engaged as a legal consultant for the minister’s department, with the agreements divided into Q70,000, Q60,000, and Q50,000. This corruption scandal has sparked public outrage and underscored the necessity for robust actions to fight corruption in the nation.