The Ministry of National Defense (MINDEF) has authorized this year an amount of Q166 million 374 thousand for the acquisition of machinery for the Army Corps of Engineers, as registered in the Guatecompras portal.
The most recent award was carried out on February 28 by Q147 million 940 thousand. Among the acquisitions are 12 excavators, 12 backhoes, 12 motonivers, 12 vibrocompactors, 24 turning trucks, 16 peaks and 12 water tank trucks, among other equipment.
The purchase was justified by MINDEF as part of the “Additional Budget assigned by the Congress to the Ministry of National Defense for the purchase of machinery and supplies for the new work fronts of the Army Corps of Engineers”, according to its Social Communication Office.
Although it is public knowledge that the body of engineers helps in the clearing of roads or rehabilitation of road stretches, the portfolio did not offer details about whether it is the renewal of the current equipment or new projects, nor reported on the objectives or locations of the works to be executed.
The company
The award was made to the company Class Teams and Construcciones de Guatemala, Sociedad Anónima, which has contracts with municipalities and the State since 2017. This year said entity has won Q210 million in awards, mainly with municipalities and with the Mindef. In the recent event of Q147 million, five disagreements of the participating companies were received, indicating that the beneficiary company did not meet the requirements described in the bidding bases. However, they were rejected by Mindef.
It was attempted to obtain a company position in question for the accusations made by the participating companies, but did not respond in the telephone number recorded in the Guatecompras portal.
On January 22, Mindef also awarded Q18 million 434 thousand for the “acquisition of vehicles, trucks with special equipment and machinery for the fulfillment of the mission and development of the functions of the Army Engineers Corps.” Of that sum, Q14 million were allocated to said company and the rest to two participating companies.
The event was held to acquire six vehicles, including a bus, a car, two crane trucks, a tank truck, a cargo handling equipment and a chain excavator.
On April 3, the Municipality of Cobán, Alta Verapaz, approved to award Q11 million to said company for the purchase of a backhoe, three drilling machines and two chopping machines, according to the description of Guatecompras.
Millionaire expenses of the Mindef
- In November 2024 Q59 million 389 thousand 762 were awarded to the United States Government for the acquisition of a Bell 407gxi helicopter.
- In October of the same year, US $ 4.6 million were awarded for the acquisition of eight vessels made in Colombia.
- US $ 412 thousand were authorized – about Q3 million 296 thousand – for the maintenance of another boat.
- Last year, Q12.9 million were also awarded for the purchase of 40 cars.
- That same year, including Mindef, seven government portfolios allocated Q35 million 291 thousand 430 for the purchase of 138 vehicles.
- In August 2023, Mindef also acquired four military vehicles called “Pitbull”, at a cost of Q24.8 million.
- In December 2022, the Army received two Bell 412 EPX helicopters from the United States, which they bought from Q213.8 million.