"Commission: 'Flagrant corruption' in respirators and lack of foresight on oxygen" - 16 September 2020

...The Special Legislative Commission concluded the investigation of the respirators case separate to the government's version, establishing "flagrant acts of corruption". The investigation covered not only the case of the Spanish ventilators, but also those of Chinese origin and the problem of the lack of oxygen, which was attributed to a lack of foresight and not to the blockades...These are the general conclusions reached by the members of the commission chaired by MAS Senator Ciro Zabala. "We concluded and demonstrated that many violations of the law were committed and furthermore, there were alterations in prices and processes, leading to flagrant acts of corruption that are very clear," he anticipated...They investigated the cases Respiradores I, linked to the complaint of the purchase of 170 overpriced respirators, and Respiradores II, related to the purchase of 324 Chinese pieces of equipment that presented failures; the problem of lack of oxygen, the provision of supplies and equipment for the National Health Fund, and the purchase and distribution of materials and supplies on behalf of the pandemic by junior officials from various government ministries...The Public Prosecutor's Office initiated an investigation. Former Health Minister Marcelo Navajas was involved and benefited from house arrest. For the Spanish respirators, they paid $27,683 when the cost per unit was $8,000. They were manufactured by the company Respira and bought through the intermediary IME Consulting Global Services S.L.