Irregular transactions totaling S/ 16 billion in public contracts have been revealed.

The General Comptroller's Office of the Republic has revealed alarming information about irregular transactions in public contracts amounting to over S/ 16 billion. During the period between 2018 and 2023, serious irregularities were detected in contracts carried out by the national, regional, and local governments, highlighting a significant problem in the management of public resources. Comptroller Nelson Shack addressed the Congress Commission on Economy, Banking, Finance, and Financial Intelligence, detailing that out of more than 6,600 executed control reports, 13,000 officials and public servants were identified with alleged civil, criminal, and administrative responsibility in these questioned transactions. It is concerning to note that, according to the presented figures, in 2023 only a fraction of the state expenditure on contracts complies with the Procurement Law, with S/ 19.304 billion being non-compliant and only S/ 27.004 billion spent in accordance with the law. This raises questions about the effectiveness of control and supervision mechanisms in the country. One of the most striking pieces of data revealed by the Comptroller's Office is that, on average, only one supplier participates in the selection processes for works, services, and consultancies, while in the procurement of goods, only two suppliers are involved. This concentration of participants in the bidding processes suggests possible fraudulent practices that need to be thoroughly investigated. In light of this situation, Shack called for a review of the current Procurement Law and consideration of implementing new strategies to ensure transparent and efficient management of public resources. It is essential that concrete measures are taken to prevent and penalize the detected irregularities, as well as to strengthen supervision mechanisms in the field of public contracting. The disclosure of these irregular transactions by the Comptroller's Office raises concerns in society and underscores the urgency of addressing corruption in public contracts in the country as a top priority. It is necessary for the competent authorities to act decisively to ensure transparency, legality, and efficiency in the use of state resources, for the benefit of all citizens.