The Public Ministry (MP) opened an investigation for the use of resources from the Ministry of Administrative and Security Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic (SAAS) in the celebration of a Baby Shower in the presidential house.
The MP confirmed on Wednesday, March 26 that the Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption began the investigation by the Baby Shower organized at the presidential headquarters, an activity for which the SAAS paid Q1 thousand 318.64.
The investigation takes place despite the fact that, in a press conference, the Secretary of Social Communication of the Presidency, Santiago Palomo, informed that President Bernardo Arévalo ordered the money used to reintegrate.
“The president has made the decision to reintegrate the money used for food, which is provided to personnel in this type of event, and also verify the procedures to generate greater containment of spending,” said Palomo.
On March 1, a Baby Shower was organized in the presidential house. According to SAAS records, about 130 people would participate. The entity spent Q1 thousand 318.64 on ingredients to prepare breakfast.
During the activity, strawberries with chocolate, tricolor panacotas and vanilla cakes and dulce de leche were served, as revealed in a summons of the deputies of the will, opportunity and solidarity (you) with the secretary of the SAAS, Iván Carpio, who appeared along with several advisors.
“Mr. President’s family lives in the presidential house, and in that way he has all the support in accordance with what the law dictates, which establishes that the SAAS must provide support in official and personal activities. In that sense, it was a personal activity, in this case, a family activity,” Carpio said when approached by the press after the citation.
However, he indicated that the presidential house has no capacity to receive 130 people in the area for this type of event, so he considered that the attendee data contains an error.
A position was requested from the Presidency of the Republic on MP investigation, but has not yet responded.