In Yucatán, the Institute for the Development and Certification of Physical Educational and Electrical Infrastructure (IDEFEEY) has an official with a questionable background: Helio Pimentel Garduño, the agency’s current Project Director.
According to the official board of directors of the state government and the institute’s own structure, Pimentel Garduño serves as head of the Projects Department, a strategic position in the execution of public and educational works. There is even talk of his ambitions to take over the position of Gilberto Chan Padilla, IDEFEEY’s general director.
What few people know is that the architect, originally from Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, State of Mexico, is facing an administrative sanction issued in 2016 by that state’s General Directorate of Administrative Responsibilities. File DGR/DRA-B/AU/090/2016, published in the Official Gazette of the State of Mexico on November 22 of that year, revealed that Pimentel was sanctioned for irregularities during his tenure as head of the Contracts and Estimates Department of the State of Mexico Road Board.
In the same proceeding, Giovana González Garduño, who served as a construction supervisor, was also sanctioned for the same irregularities detected. The resolution indicates that both committed administrative offenses that required the authority to impose a disciplinary sanction and urge them to comply with the legal framework in the performance of their duties.
Although the measure did not result in immediate dismissal, it does constitute what is known as a “yellow card” in public service, which prevents promotions or advancements until compliance with the sanction is clarified. In the event of a repeat offense or serious misconduct, this precedent could become an aggravating factor leading to permanent dismissal.
Pimentel Garduño is no stranger to the public works sector. Before arriving in Yucatán, he was the head of Public Procurement at the State of Mexico Road Board and participated in direct contracts, such as those awarded in 2014 to the company Reciclagua under contracts SA/REC/AD/014/2014 and SA/REC/AD/008/2014. This means he is well-versed in the public procurement and bidding system, both in terms of the technical aspects and the benefits that private companies can obtain.
Today, in Yucatán, taxpayers finance his salary and his position of trust, despite the fact that official records of another state record his administrative sanction. According to applicable law, this type of background must be considered in the appointment and retention processes for public service.
For many citizens, Pimentel Garduño’s presence in a key position at IDEFEEY raises suspicion. “In the State of Mexico, he has already been sanctioned for irregularities. Here, he should be under scrutiny to avoid another scandal involving educational projects,” critics point out.
The case also raises alarm bells about the system of oversight and monitoring of public appointments in Yucatán. While the rhetoric speaks of transparency and accountability, in practice, individuals with questionable track records are placed in strategic positions.
The administrative sanction imposed on Pimentel is no minor matter: it is officially registered and available for public review. The resolution itself warns that sanctioned officials must not engage in irregular practices again, and that if they do, the record becomes a decisive factor in their disqualification.
In simple terms, it is a formal warning that does not remove him from public service, but it leaves a mark on him.
Source: solyucatan
