Proveedor de Qali Warma pagó coimas a funcionarios para encubrir mala calidad de productos

Summary

In a shocking investigation, journalist Christopher Acosta reveals how corruption within the Peruvian government and a supplier of school meals is endangering the health of the country’s most vulnerable children. Frigo Inca, a supplier for the state-run Caliu Arma food program, has been implicated in the distribution of contaminated food products that have caused child intoxications. The investigation exposes bribery, cover-ups, and manipulation of food samples to prevent the discovery of unsafe products. Despite the grave consequences for children's health, Frigo Inca continues to profit, with millions of soles in government contracts, while parents and authorities struggle to hold anyone accountable.

Takeaways

• 😀 A major investigation reveals corruption affecting the food provided to the poorest children in Peru, linked to a supplier of school meals.
• 😀 The investigation centers around Frigo Inca, a company supplying food to the National School Feeding Program, Caliu Arma, through fraudulent practices and bribery.
• 😀 More than 80 million soles in contracts were awarded to Frigo Inca, exposing a profitable business built on corruption and questionable product quality.
• 😀 The investigation uncovered 63 WhatsApp chats revealing illegal payments made by Frigo Inca to public officials, compromising child nutrition safety.
• 😀 A significant poisoning incident occurred in a rural Peruvian school after children consumed food distributed by Caliu Arma, which was later linked to Frigo Inca's products.
• 😀 The children’s poisoning in Cabana, Puno, led to public health investigations, but officials initially blamed contaminated water, covering up the real cause linked to Frigo Inca's product.
• 😀 The investigation shows that Frigo Inca’s product, Don Simón, was still being distributed despite reports of poor quality and contamination, including incidents of rat feces and worms.
• 😀 Payments were made by Frigo Inca to officials, including Ronald Losa, to avoid scrutiny of the company's products after the poisoning event, with evidence of several cash transfers and vouchers.
• 😀 Despite the growing evidence, Frigo Inca’s leadership, including Michael Burga, attempted to deny involvement in the corruption and cover-up efforts, which were made possible by manipulated lab results.
• 😀 The case has been handed over to the Peruvian authorities, who are now investigating the corruption that led to harm in the children’s health and the distribution of dangerous food products.
• 😀 This investigation highlights a larger network of corruption that compromises the safety and well-being of vulnerable children, with many questioning the integrity of the involved authorities and companies.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the investigation presented in the script?

The investigation centers around corruption involving the food supplier 'Frigo Inca,' which provides food to the 'Caliu Arma' program that feeds children in the most vulnerable regions of Peru. The investigation exposes how the company's products were linked to food poisoning incidents and how the company manipulated the system to cover up the issues.

How did the investigative team acquire information about the corruption?

The investigative team received an anonymous tip that included an iPhone and two USB drives. These contained over 60 WhatsApp chats, which revealed explicit details about the corruption, including the manipulation of food safety tests and illicit payments to officials.

What is the significance of the 'Caliu Arma' program in this investigation?

'Caliu Arma' is a government program responsible for distributing food to schoolchildren in Peru, particularly in impoverished regions. The investigation reveals how the program was compromised, with a supplier, Frigo Inca, providing unsafe food, despite knowing the risks, due to corruption.

What was the impact of the food poisoning incident in Cabana, Puno?

In Cabana, Puno, over 20 children were poisoned after consuming food distributed by 'Caliu Arma,' specifically a product from Frigo Inca. This led to hospitalizations and raised questions about food safety and the company's involvement in the incident.

How did Frigo Inca attempt to cover up the food poisoning incident?

Frigo Inca attempted to cover up the issue by manipulating the food samples that were sent for analysis. The company worked with a regional health official to swap out the contaminated food samples, thus preventing the true cause of the food poisoning from being revealed.

What role did Noemí Alvarado play in the operation of Frigo Inca?

Noemí Alvarado was a sales representative for Frigo Inca, responsible for presenting their products to government officials and ensuring their approval. She played a crucial role in facilitating the corrupt payments and cover-ups related to the food safety issues.

Who was Ronald Losa, and what was his involvement in the corruption?

Ronald Losa was a health official at the regional level, responsible for overseeing food safety. He was involved in receiving bribes from Frigo Inca to manipulate food safety tests and cover up the contamination of their products.

How did the payments between Frigo Inca and Ronald Losa affect the investigation?

The payments from Frigo Inca to Ronald Losa were critical to the investigation. The discovery of multiple payments, which were coordinated through WhatsApp chats, revealed the corrupt relationship between the company and the health official, including payments made after the food poisoning incident to prevent a proper investigation.

What evidence supports the claim of corruption in the case?

The evidence includes WhatsApp chats showing explicit discussions about the manipulation of food samples, as well as bank transfer vouchers proving that payments were made by Frigo Inca to Ronald Losa. This evidence points to a coordinated effort to cover up the food safety issues.

What were the reactions of the parents and community members to the corruption uncovered in the investigation?

Parents and community members were deeply concerned and angry about the food poisoning incidents, as well as the cover-up. They suspected corruption was involved and felt helpless in the face of a powerful network protecting the responsible parties. The community expressed a lack of faith in the justice system.