Mismanagement during Edwin Cardenas period

Administrative disaster during Edwin Cardenas management at the Institute of Agricultural Marketing (IMA) were confirmed by the Comptroller General.

An audit determined that there was a financial loss to the state in resources management of the Food Programme Solidarity.

Early last year, several publications of Panama America certified a wide range of selective contracts awarded by Cardenas to several entrepreneurs, as Juan Carlos Marciaga, investigated by distributing bags of food purchased by the National Assistance Program (PAN), and baseball player Carlos Lee.

The agricultural producer denounced, at the time, that behind Cardenas imports allowed "a very big deal" was locked.

The Comptroller determined that there was no planning in the procurement process, as in the management and distribution of food products, resulting in "excessive payments not timely processing of containers and goods received in the shipping ports."

The process of the Comptroller covered the entire Cardenas management, from July 1, 2014 until March 26, 2015.

A statement from the bank records that the audit report was handed over to prosecutors.

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Faltas

• Jerarquía

• Cárdenas nombró a cuatro familiares en puestos de importancia en el Instituto de Mercadeo Agropecuario (IMA).

• Defensa

• El exdirector aceptó estos nombramientos, argumentando que actuó sin el conocimiento de lo que establece la ley al respecto.

• Intervención

• La Contraloría ordenó la auditoría a la gestión de Edwin Cárdenas el 26 de marzo del año pasado.