Deputy Telecoms Minister Fired Amid Accusations of Corruption
Bolivia's President Evo Morales has fired deputy telecoms minister Jorge Estrella Ayala following accusations that Estrella demanded a US$100,000 bribe from mobile operator Startel, according to local press reports.
Startel reportedly wrote to Morales on April 20, claiming that Estrella asked for the money "in order to make the awarding of a [rural telephony] concession more viable and to insure the [concession] process continues," local daily La Prensa reported.
Estrella denies the accusation.
Morales issued an executive order almost immediately after reading the accusation which ordered that Estrella be removed from his post and that criminal proceedings against him be initiated.
Estrella also allegedly has a criminal record in the city of Sucre, according to Morales' chief of staff Rodolfo Illanes.
"When he was a member of the Sucre telephony cooperative, Estrella founded his own telephony company without the knowledge of the other members of the cooperative, and used his post to benefit himself through concessions and tenders. That is a crime," said Illanes.
Judicial proceedings against Estrella are set to begin on Monday, when it will be decided if he is to be held on trial.
BNamericas.com"
Posted to the site on 25th April 2006
