[Translated by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

"Chinese businessman and ABC executive arrested for bribes in the state highway company" - 3 September 2022

The corruption case came to light after a complaint by MAS deputy Héctor Arce, who said that ABC "is rotten" and run by a criminal organisation".

Judge Emilio Colque, of the Court of Anti-Corruption and Violence against Women, ordered early Saturday morning six months of preventive detention for Chinese businessman Jin Zhengyuan and the technical manager of the Bolivian Roads Administrator (ABC), Cristian Mendieta, in the case of alleged bribes in the state agency.

After more than 10 hours of hearing, the judge ruled that the accused must serve the sentence in the San Roque prison in Sucre.

Both are being investigated for an alleged bribe of Bs 18 million in favour of the Chinese construction company Harbour Engineering Company-CHEC (Bolivia branch) for the construction of the Sucre-Yamparáez dual carriageway.

Along with them, seven other officials of the state road company are being investigated for their alleged participation in this act.

The alleged act of corruption was denounced on Thursday 1 September by the Movimiento Al Socialismo (MAS) deputy Héctor Arce, who said that there was a "million-dollar bribe" in the awarding of the contract and assured that the ABC "is rotten" and "run by a criminal organisation" ...