Delfín Quishpe reacts to the 5-year prison sentence for influence peddling: ‘We will appeal to the end’

The mayor of Guamote, Delfín Quishpe, reacted annoyed to the ruling of the Chimborazo Provincial Court of Justice that declared him the author of the crime of influence peddling and sentenced him to five years in prison. The also Andean music singer told this medium that he will not talk about the case, but warned that “Guamote will rise up” in the face of what he considers an injustice. “We will appeal to the end,” he commented.

Quishpe and municipal officials Iván M. and Segundo P. were convicted yesterday based on a criminal responsibility report from the State Comptroller General, among other 50 documents presented by the Prosecutor’s Office, for the irregular purchase of biosafety supplies (masks, quaternary ammonium, gloves and others) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador with a surcharge of $ 96,608 plus VAT, which favored Rafael Q.

The mayor, who the day after the sentence was known, did not go to the Municipality, rejects the accusation and condemns it. “Let’s see sir, you know, I’m from the people and my reaction will always be transparent, but you as the press, public or private, if you asked me about the works, delighted with life to answer, but about that garbage problem of the persecution , of the application of injustice, I will not respond, “said Quishpe, by phone. “See you soon, thank you”, and closed.

In the Municipality they said that the mayor had a “broad agenda” in the communities and that is why he was not in his office. Bécquer Carvajal, his lawyer, did grant a little more time to this medium and confirmed that as soon as they are notified in writing of the sentence they will file an appeal, but he announced that in the oral hearing he already requested the suspension of the sentence.

Carvajal rejected that the Prosecutor’s Office has demonstrated influence peddling, as he said, because that criminal type has to be coupled with human conduct. “Here a commission was formed and that commission qualified the proformas, the bidders and was urged by a person who met all the requirements due to the high demand and the shortage of products during the peak of the pandemic.”

“It is mentioned that a commission was appointed to qualify proformas. The proforma that contains a higher value than the others was rated; however, it was not considered that the other bidders had expected the delivery of the biosafety products 30 days after the quotation and signing of the contract. Instead, the bidder who won the contest delivered the supplies immediately to address the COVID-19 emergency, “he said.

Quishpe’s attorney said that even though the provider is requesting it, nothing has been paid to him to date. “Economic damage to the State has not been verified,” he said.

“More than influence peddling, the Prosecutor’s Office was concerned to determine that there is a surcharge, when it does not exist because the products delivered by the supplier meet all the required expectations,” says the lawyer.

But the condemnation, says Carvajal, they already saw it coming. And he explains why: “We were not allowed to act, at certain times there were calls for attention and what is more, the principle of individuality was not complied with, participation was not attributed to each of the defendants (in the crime that they are charged); however, the rapporteur judge, in his verbal ruling, states that the Office of the Public Prosecutor has complied with all these budgets, when it was not like that ”.

In addition to the penalty of deprivation of liberty, the first instance opinion, subject to appeal, ordered the defendants to express public apologies in a local medium and place a plaque in the Municipality of Guamote, in which it is established that they will not be committed. there more acts of corruption. (I)