A recent audit carried out in 2024 revealed improper direct awards and other irregularities.
The Secretariat of Public Function (SFP) detected new irregularities in Mexican Food Security (Segalmex), even after the scandal over the diversion of 15 billion pesos by the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
A recent audit carried out in 2024 revealed improper direct awards, violations of the Procurement Law, and deficiencies in the management of contracts.
In at least 16 contracts reviewed, transparency and efficient use of public resources were not guaranteed.
Some contracts, such as those related to the “custody of corn in Sinaloa”, were improperly awarded under poorly founded exceptions.
In the purchase of airline tickets, legal requirements such as declarations of integrity and no conflict of interest were not met.
The planning, contracting, and administration processes did not comply with the regulations established in the Administrative Manual on Procurement.
Not all contracts signed were properly recorded.
The SFP instructed the implementation of control mechanisms, such as checklists, to ensure the correct integration of files and the justification of acquisitions. It also asked to ensure that exceptional contracts are duly substantiated.
This new report adds to the historical accusations against Segalmex. In February 2022, the Superior Audit Office of the Federation (ASF) identified irregularities amounting to 15 billion pesos in fiscal years 2019 and 2020.
After these scandals, Leonel Cota Montaño replaced Ignacio Ovalle Fernández as head of Segalmex, although former President López Obrador defended Ovalle, stating that he had been the victim of a “corruption network”. After this statement, millions of Mexicans commented that the “corruption network” was most likely headed by AMLO himself.
This SEGALMEX case remains a benchmark for the mismanagement of public resources and the need to strengthen control and oversight systems in government agencies. And ironically, the independent agency known as the National Public Information Institute (Instituto Nacional de Acceso a la Información: INAI), has been recently terminated by the Sheinbaum administration.
With information from El Universal
