MOP-Gate case
Encyclopedia
In 2003 judge Gloria Ana Chevesich initiated a probe of corruption at the Ministry of Public Works
(MOP) – a case known as MOP-Gate Case: contractors got from the MOP 1,250 million Chilean Peso
(approximately 415,000 USD) for non-executed or overpriced works. The money was deviated to Gate ("Gestion Territorial y Ambiental"), a consulting firm that distributed the bribes to 129 clerks of the MOP as "extra money". 22 individuals from both the public and private sectors were variously charged with the crimes of defrauding the State, fraud and residual fraud. Five defendants were condemned.
The case was headline news for years, with Chevesich supporters applauding her efforts to root out corruption rampant in the Concertación coalition, and detractors dismissing the case as a political witch hunt.
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2004 was set up Alta Dirección Pública (ADP), a major step forward to create a professional, merit-based civil service. ADP is the result of a political consensus achieved in the wake of the 2002 MOP-Gate scandal in the Public Works and Transport Ministry. The “New Deal” law passed in mid-2003 during the government of Ricardo Lagos
aims both to reduce the number of political appointees in the public administration and to improve its efficiency and transparency.
Ministry of Public Works (Chile)
The Ministry of Public Works is the cabinet-level administrative office in charge of "planning, directing, controlling and building the public infrastructure, as well as the conservation and management of them" within Chile. It is also responsible for the "management, distribution, use and...
(MOP) – a case known as MOP-Gate Case: contractors got from the MOP 1,250 million Chilean Peso
Chilean peso
The peso is the currency of Chile. The current peso has circulated since 1975, with a previous version circulating between 1817 and 1960. The symbol used locally for it is $. The ISO 4217 code for the present peso is CLP. It is subdivided into 100 centavos, although no centavo denominated coins...
(approximately 415,000 USD) for non-executed or overpriced works. The money was deviated to Gate ("Gestion Territorial y Ambiental"), a consulting firm that distributed the bribes to 129 clerks of the MOP as "extra money". 22 individuals from both the public and private sectors were variously charged with the crimes of defrauding the State, fraud and residual fraud. Five defendants were condemned.
The case was headline news for years, with Chevesich supporters applauding her efforts to root out corruption rampant in the Concertación coalition, and detractors dismissing the case as a political witch hunt.
Consequences
After 7 years of investigation, the head of the ministry, Carlos Cruz, was sentenced to 3 years, and to pay damages for 800,000,000 CLP to the Chilean State. The director of Concessions, Sergio Cortés to 3 years, Eduardo Balbontín, ex-director of Water works, Gonzalo Castillo, chief of department in ministry, (both to 61 days), Nazir Sapag, ex director del CIADE of the Universidad de Chile (200 days), Óscar Peña Véliz, owner of Gate consulting (61 days) and Oscar Araos (541 days). All jail sentences were suspended sentenceSuspended sentence
A suspended sentence is a legal term for a judge's delaying of a defendant's serving of a sentence after they have been found guilty, in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation...
.
2004 was set up Alta Dirección Pública (ADP), a major step forward to create a professional, merit-based civil service. ADP is the result of a political consensus achieved in the wake of the 2002 MOP-Gate scandal in the Public Works and Transport Ministry. The “New Deal” law passed in mid-2003 during the government of Ricardo Lagos
Ricardo Lagos
Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar is a lawyer, economist and social democrat politician, who served as president of Chile from 2000 to 2006. He won the 1999-2000 presidential election by a narrow margin in a runoff over Independent Democrat Union candidate Joaquín Lavín...
aims both to reduce the number of political appointees in the public administration and to improve its efficiency and transparency.