Posted on 07/11/2007 4:16:28 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Federal audit in 2005 cited many irregularities in construction
MEXICO CITY — The construction of a mountain highway where 32 bus passengers died in a landslide last week was riddled with corruption and irregularities, according to officials and press reports.
A federal audit compiled in 2005 accused Puebla state officials of sidestepping a mandatory bidding process in awarding construction contracts for the road and of failing to conduct geological safety studies on the highway, which snakes for 80 miles across Puebla's Sierra Negra mountains, El Universal newspaper reported Tuesday.
The contractor for one highway section accused top state officials of demanding a $100,000 bribe to continue the work, the paper said.
On July 4, a bus carrying 32 Indian students, teachers and farmers was swallowed in a landslide about two-thirds of the way along the highway.
The road, built between 2002 and 2005, connects formerly isolated mountain villages to the city of Tehuacan, about halfway between Mexico City and the Gulf Coast port of Veracruz.
The highway was built "without considering the environmental, climatic and geographical characteristics of the region," El Universal quoted the federal audit as saying.
Puebla officials acknowledged the results of the audit, but said it related to a stretch of highway further south from the accident. They said the government responded to all the auditor's recommendations.
"We're talking about entirely different sections," Romulo Arrendondo, the state's secretary of communications and transport, told a news conference.
"It was a natural phenomenon that was unpredictable," he said. "We want to make clear that there was no warning on anyone's part."
Local residents disagree. They say they alerted the state government more than a year ago about three potential landslides along the road, including the one where the bus disaster occurred.
"That's why these accidents keep happening," said Felipe Sandoval, an official in Eloxochitlan, a town a few miles from the accident. "The government hasn't paid any attention."
State officials were in the town Tuesday to negotiate possible financial settlements with residents, many of whom lost multiple family members.
"Imagine, there are people who have lost children, grandparents, in some cases whole families," said Sandoval, speaking from one of the town's few telephones. "We've been warning for more than a year, and here are the consequences."
Critics said the tragedy was another black mark on the administration of Puebla Gov. Mario Marin. He has been accused by the local media of helping protect a child pornography ring.
The Mexican Supreme Court is reviewing whether to recommend a state congressional investigation into Marin's alleged involvement.
marionlloyd@gmail.com
Corruption is tied to everything in Mexico.
Corruption in Mexico? I never would have guessed. Next thing you know, someone will be trying to tell us that there was corruption in New Orleans.
But, but, aren’t Mexican workers supposed to be better, more accurate and harder working than American workers? How could this road calamity have taken place with such a fine road?
Without corruption, mexico would disappear in a puff of Smoke.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.