Gabriel Biestro Medinilla, coordinator of Morena council members in Puebla, is at the center of a controversy after it was revealed that he reported expenses of 669,465 pesos for events and a meal held in a period of just two months.
According to documents cited by the local news outlet e-consulta, the funds were used between November and December of last year for activities related to the work of the city council members.
The controversy surrounding the Morena council member arises amidst the debate surrounding Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum’s new proposal, known as “Plan B,” in which the mayor has stated that “there are those who do not want to reduce these privileges.”
Records indicate that the council members’ office reported two payments for comprehensive event services, one for 458,835 pesos and another for 166,012 pesos, in addition to 44,600 pesos allocated for a meal at a city hotel.
In total, the three expenses amounted to 669,465 pesos, which generated questions within the council itself regarding how these funds were recorded and justified.
According to documentation bearing the treasury’s seals and labels, the payments are related to the organization of various events in which council members participated, as well as to catering provided during a work meeting.
Councilwoman Esther Ortiz Pérez, from the Citizens’ Movement party, asserted that some of the reported events include the names of council members who, she said, did not request these activities.
“I requested from the councilors’ office the official documents from the council members that, according to him (Gabriel Biestro), we requested, as did my colleague, Shirley Ponce,” she revealed to the news outlet e-consulta.
The councilwoman maintained that, after reviewing the invoices, she discovered that some receipts included requests that the council members themselves claim to be unaware of, a situation that would also affect PRI councilwoman Shirley Ponce.
The issue was raised during a session of the Heritage and Finance Committee, where Ortiz Pérez requested clarification of the records included in the expense reports.
In response to the questions, Gabriel Biestro asserted that the funds are not managed directly by his office, but rather correspond to contracts managed by the Puebla City Council’s Administration Secretariat.
“What is requested is covered wherever possible, whether it’s a press conference, an event, a roof, renovations, chairs; I’m not saying yes or no,” the councilman told the news outlet.
The coordinator of the Morena councilors defended himself by assuring that the expenses are part of the administrative support for the activities of the council.
Source: politico
