MAS corruption, Emapa | Corrupción en el MAS, Emapa

By Erbol:

AWAITING HEARING

Unjustified millionaire assets of the former Emapa manager and two other officials revealed

Flores after leaving the Prosecutor’s Office. Photo: ERBOL

Millionaire assets of the former manager of the Food Production Support Company (Emapa), Franklin Flores, and other officials of the state-owned company are being investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office in connection with alleged irregularities in the construction of the potato processing plant in El Alto.

The former executive was arrested Tuesday afternoon at his brother-in-law’s home, where documents related to the case were seized. He was then taken to the Public Prosecutor’s Office to give his statement, but invoked his right to remain silent, according to La Paz departmental prosecutor, Luis Carlos Torrez.

The investigation determined that Flores’ accumulated salary between 2022 and 2025 was Bs 700,000, but there was an “unjustified surplus” of Bs 209,150, with deposits allegedly made by Emapa employees. He is being investigated for dereliction of duty, economic misconduct, and illicit enrichment.

Along with Flores, Daniela Elena A., Emapa’s civil works inspector, was also arrested. She had voluntarily gone to the Public Prosecutor’s Office but was subsequently detained. Marvel Javier V. O., former financial manager of the state company, met the same fate.

Daniela Elena A. had an increase of Bs 61,290 beyond her declared assets. Deposits from public officials were also found in her accounts. Evidence showed that she failed to verify property rights for the construction and even issued two reports on contract modifications without raising objections. She is also under investigation for dereliction of duty, economic misconduct, and illicit enrichment.

In the case of Marvel Javier V. O., investigators found Bs 1,400,900 beyond his economic profile. He worked as financial chief for about six months at Emapa, was then transferred to another unit for six months, and later returned to the financial chief position for another six months.

Investigators found that he owned four vehicles, one of which had been paid entirely in cash. He faces charges of illicit enrichment.

“We have all the technical legal reports to prove that the plant is operational,” Flores told the media briefly after giving his statement Tuesday afternoon.

The Case

On November 9, 2022, construction company Piloto SRL y Asociados was allegedly awarded a contract with Emapa for the project of a Potato Collection, Storage, and Processing Plant in El Alto.

During construction in 2022, two contract modifications were made, which “did not comply with the provisions of Article 89 of Supreme Decree 181, and included some modifications, increases in items, and changes in unit prices without adequate technical justification or extraordinary grounds as required by the mentioned regulation.”

Investigations revealed that the plant partially operated between January and July 2025—approximately 36 days of potato production and 50 days of mashed potato. The company had between 63 and 64 salaried workers, financed with public funds.

The plant operated on a 2.5-hectare plot, which had allegedly been granted under an agreement between the El Alto Municipality and Emapa on December 12, 2022. However, two years later, the state company failed to consolidate ownership of the land, meaning the plant was built on property it did not legally own. ///agc

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