A Bolivian senator has been accused of inventing a village to pocket over half a million GBP to carry out an imaginary farming project for a non-existent indigenous community.
According to local media, the director of the Indigenous Fund in Bolivia Rafael Quispe accused the Movement of Socialism (MAS) senator Jorge Choque Salome of inventing the village of Curuxa in the municipality of Collana in the province of Aroma in eastern Bolivia.
Local media say Quispe claims Choque Salome allegedly had more than 6 million BOB (665,348 GPB) transferred to his bank account to develop farming and building projects in the allegedly nonexistent village of Curuxa and other towns in 2010.
Quispe told local media: “I hope justice takes the side of what is right. We have to claim back the money. That community does not exist in the municipality of Collana and so far prosecutors have protected Choque.”
Reports said that Choque Salome has been under house arrest since 2015 when he was accused of receiving 2.5 million BOB (277,460 GBP) for allegedly fraudulent projects.
Reports said that the mayor of the municipality of Collana denies the existence of a village called Curuxa and she said that Choque Salome only visited the municipality once to do workshops in the area.
The director of the Indigenous Fund reportedly demands that the former minister of economy Luis Arce and the ex-minister of Presidency Juan Ramon Quintana are also investigated.
Senator Choque Salomon who is still active on duty denies the accusations and has reportedly told his lawyer Luis Velasco to begin legal proceedings for slander.
The investigation is ongoing.
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Story By: Jonathan Macias, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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