At least 15 social media sites offer driving licenses irregularly. When consulting by text message, sellers say that by Q850 the applicant obtains in an hour an approved “theoretical and practical certificate. However, the Traffic Department of the National Civil Police (PNC) warns that these sites are not authorized.
Although the Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption has investigated alleged irregularities in the issuance of certificates to obtain driver’s licenses, the problem continues on social networks and even at the headquarters where the document extends and where practical management tests are done, according to users and officials of entities involved in the subject but prefer to omit their name.
According to the complaints, the problem occurs more when the first license is processed, because the “jaladores” or processors who are located on the outskirts of Maycom offer to process the document without major setbacks.
Upon reaching the Maycom headquarters, the processors approach and offer to process the type C license at a cost of Q1 thousand, the professional at Q1 thousand 500 or Q1 thousand 80.
In social networks
“Obtain your driver’s license today,” is what one of the social networks sites announces where the driver’s license is offered in an hour.
When consulting by text message, they indicate that they charge “Q850 for a theoretical and practical certificate already won” for first car and motorcycle license. They also ensure that the procedure is “one hundred percent legal.”
The announcement describes the location in a shopping center of the Roosevelt road, and offers the costs for the validity of the document.
“They are not schools authorized by the Ministry of the Interior through the Department of Transit,” said Brenda Santizo, spokeswoman for that agency.
Position
In response, the Transit Department indicated through the Communication Department that, in the case of Maycom, it is a private company, hired by the Transit Department for the issuance of driving licenses.
“In relation to Traffic Learning Schools, the Transit Department performs constant supervisions and controls in the different vehicle driver evaluation centers (CECOVES), which are the centers that carry out the issuance of digital certificates, after approveing the theoretical and practical tests,” he said.
According to the agency, if irregularities are discovered in case, the school or the evaluation center is sanctioned.
“We always recommend the population not to be fooled by illegal people or processors who sell driver’s licenses or do not provide good service. For this they can report the 1599 of the Transit Department or denounce before the Public Ministry in case they are victims of scams,” they recommended
They added that the competence of the Department of Transit is limited to administrative processes for the issuance of the digital certificate, while the operation of this type of schools- such as those advertised in social networks- are private and remains in the hands of the people who manage it, since they are “commercial companies.”
Raids
In December 2021, the Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption of the Public Ministry (MP) carried out 29 raids as part of an investigation into possible irregularities in the issuance of certificates to obtain driving licenses. The proceedings covered the headquarters of the PNC Transit Department.
The raids were developed in the capital, Mixco, Esquipulas, Chiquimula; Mazatenango, Suchitepéquez; Cuilapa, Santa Rosa; Quetzaltenango, Jalapa and Jutiapa.
On that occasion, the MP reported that documents, cell phones were kidnapped, among other indications. However, they indicated that the case was under reserve, so the results were not known or they did not become public.
In September 2016, the Transit Department closed an evaluation center to obtain licenses in zone 18, knowing that in that place and other motor racing schools were charged between Q1 thousand 500 and Q1 thousand 800 to extend the authorization of licenses through anomalies.
According to recent complaints, the problem continues in those places, because illegal charges are made to approve those who did not win practical management tests.
Cause of accidents
Edgar Guerra, defender of the public transport user, unity attached to the Human Rights Attorney (PDH), says that transparency in the management academies is important, since the road behavior is formed from there, and if it does not effect the theoretical and practical exams, the driver is not obliged to know the Transit Law and therefore becomes a factor that causes road mishaps.
Guerra has reiterated that one of the problems is that extra -urban buse drivers drive without the right license, one of the most recent cases was evidenced by the bus accident that fell to a ravine in zone 16 and that caused the death of 54 people. The authorities of the General Directorate of Transportation confirmed that the pilot worked with a type C license, when according to the law it must be type A.