Interview with Eduardo Roche Lander, ex-Comptroller General : "Government corruption has taken trillion bolivars" "If Maduro is to fight this scourge, he would rather establish regular agencies"
By ROBERTO GIUSTI EL UNIVERSAL July 13, 2013
Comptroller General of Venezuela in 1994-2000, Eduardo Roche Lander is not allowed to enter the Office of the Comptroller General unless escorted. Anyway, he keeps track of what is going on in relation to corruption and the role played by an agency entrusted with the mission of ensuring proper use of State enormous resources.
- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has anticipated a head-on fight against corruption "which jeopardizes the homeland." Do you think there is true determination?
- This is just another demagogic program to offset government's loss of support. Maduro tries to make Venezuelans believe that efforts are made against corruption, which is one of the most serious scourges all those fourteen years. From the outset, as soon as the regime settled down, marked events of corruption occurred.
- Which ones?
- Plan Bolívar 2000 was among the first ones. Military commands were exacted compliance with social welfare programs, by using money sent by him (late President Hugo Chávez), but targeted anywhere else. Thus, those people were involved in irregular acts with the president, and that would tie them. Pursuant to the Constitution (article 279), national funds should not be managed but through the Budget Law. Therefore, no spending different from that stipulated in that law should be made, except for additional credits. You may remember when Chávez clamored for "a little billion." However, granting such "little billion" was unlawful. Had he wanted it for some work, he could have requested it from the National Assembly through an additional credit.
- Which, in your opinion, are the salient corruption focus points?
- Most serious is that oil income has been split into two chunks: one going to the domestic budget (50%) and another aimed at Fonden (National Development Fund), where the remaining 50% is managed with no control whatsoever. Next, the president and now his closest ones, share the loot up, comprising an astounding sum of money. Anyhow, if Maduro is to fight corruption, first thing he must do is setting up regular bodies to curb corruption.
- The Comptroller General Office is expected to do that.
- The regulating agency is headless and the person acting as the comptroller lacks the power and authority to do it. When a comptroller stops performing his/her incumbency definitely, a committee should be appointed within thirty days to elect a successor with the vote of two thirds of the National Assembly. That is contemplated in the Constitution.
- Corruption has existed always in Venezuela and it has been contended that it was not fought accordingly. Is that the extension of past events?
- Corruption has existed always in the world. That began with Adam and Eve. Nevertheless, such a serious situation had never been seen. During the financial crisis under the second government of (deceased President Rafael) Caldera, the nation losses were estimated at three billion bolivars (USD 4.61 million at the exchange rate of VEB 650 per US dollar in force in 1999). Now, however, corruption has taken trillion bolivars in misuse of funds, misappropriation, gifts to foreign countries, and so on. The serious ongoing situation is unprecedented in our history.
- Don't you think that leniency with regard to corruption, political use of the regulating authority and constitutional violations, as well as the unlawful standing of a comptroller, are the outcome of an all-embracing government?
- We, in Venezuela, lack a true democracy with full power severability. Another regulating authority, in addition to lawmaking, is the parliament. And it does not fulfill either function.
Translated by Conchita Delgado
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