The facts for which they were investigated were breach of trust, usurpation of public functions, prevarication, and extortion.
Paraguay.- After almost a year without news, there was finally progress in the Causa Conajzar that could benefit the former head of the National Commission of Games of Chance, José Ortiz.
The prosecutors Marcelo Saldívar and Daniela Benítez requested the reopening of the case that investigated alleged irregularities in the concession and reduction in the cost of the fee and required the dismissal of six defendants, according to the local media Última Hora.
The former head of the Commission José A. Ortiz and the general director of the Directorate of Charity and Social Assistance (Diben), Carmen Alonso, were accused of breach of trust.
The other defendants in the case are: Ricardo Núñez; Rubén Rousillón (representative of the governorships); Omar Mongelos and Raúl Mariano Silva Busto, member and former member, both representing the Ministry of the Interior and Álvaro Wasmosy, representative of the firm TDP SA. In September last year the former Attorney General of the Republic, Sergio Coscia, was dismissed.
The charges against those involved included breach of trust, usurpation of public functions, prevarication, and extortion. The investigations focused on alleged irregularities in the concession of the exploitation of the Lottery to the company TDP SA and the authorization of the firm I-CROP SA to operate slot machines. The reduction of 50 percent of the exploitation fee for games of chance was also questioned.
Initially, the Prosecutor's Office had pointed out several irregularities in the concession of these contracts, but after the investigation, it was concluded that there was no economic damage to the State nor misrepresentation of the law in the actions carried out.
The report presented by the prosecutors details that the bidding process was ratified by the Attorney General's Office, the Treasury Attorney's Office, and the Presidency of the Republic, confirming the legality of the actions of the former officials of Conajzar.
See also: Conflict in Paraguay: lottery vendors and businessmen organized a protest at the headquarters of Conajzar
“The stance adopted by the then members of the National Commission of Games of Chance has been ratified by other bodies that have determined the regularity of the actions carried out within the framework of Public Tender No. 3/2019 that awards the concession of the game called Lottery”, the document states.
It also determined that there was no usurpation of public functions, considering that the conduct of the defendants was framed within the attributions provided in Law 1016/1997 and decrees 6206/99 and 3083/15.
An investigative journalism determined that in, at least, 12 state casinos, the legislation is not respected, so various opposition officials demanded greater transparency in the application of the law and in the dissemination of the sanctions.
Mexico.- After an investigation by the local media ABC Noticias revealed that in, at least, 12 casinos in Nuevo León the anti-smoking law was not respected, deputies in the local Congress agreed that the Ministry of Health must toughen measures to enforce the norm, as well as demonstrate greater transparency about the sanctions issued.
The deputy Mauro Guerra from PAN even criticized that, if the law is applied correctly, the collection of the sanctions could be directed to improvements in the state medical service and its various programs, so he called for the necessary inspections to be carried out in the betting houses.
“It is an issue where there has not been compliance with the Law, there have been complaints about this and that it is applied differently depending on the businesses, but here the issue has to be that the law is respected, the state government and the areas responsible for ensuring the correct development do so and that they are not trying to favor a few," the deputy expressed.
Furthermore, Guerra was emphatic in adding: "The Ministry of Health should also put out figures, explain what is being inspected, what is being sanctioned and hopefully we do not fall into the questionable times when the Ministry of Health only pursued politicians and allowed there to be poor health conditions in other businesses."
The media ABC Noticias visited 14 of the 31 casinos that exist in Nuevo León, and in almost all of them tobacco is consumed, and although some have a special space for smoking, this does not isolate them from the rest of the customers, who become passive smokers, a situation equally dangerous for health. The casinos visited are mostly located in the municipalities of Monterrey and Guadalupe, and only two of them prohibit smoking, according to the media's survey.
According to the media, with the exception of Caliente and Codere, the other casinos ignored the signs that prohibited smoking, even some customers had ashtrays on their gaming machines to be able to smoke and gamble.
The deputy from Morena in Nuevo León, Berenice Martínez, pointed out that it is a delicate issue that mainly translates into health effects for non-smokers, which is combined with the eventual non-compliance by the Health authorities. “Great care must be taken in this matter, that it be acted upon according to the law, that the measures be applied because there is already sufficient legislation that prevents smokers from being inside restaurants and in casinos, it not only affects smokers, but those around them," she said.
For Martínez, it is necessary “that the Law be applied along with the necessary measures to protect all the citizens who attend these types of businesses where compliance is not being given. We hope that they take the necessary measures.”
See also: Businessmen claim that Mexico's Anti-Smoking Law pushes casinos into illegality
Regarding this, the vice-coordinator of Movimiento Ciudadano, Sandra Pámanes stated that there is a current law that must be respected and called for inspections and the necessary sanctions to be applied. “This transparency and even pointing out on the portals of the Ministry, about the fines and establishments that incur in any fault so that it is a strong call of attention towards them and although it does not favor any business being evidenced in this way, it strengthens the application of the law,” she added.
