Mayolo Lopez/ Reform Agency
Monday, May 15, 2023 | 21:01
Mexico City.- The Secretary of National Defense, Luis Crescencio Sandoval, will appear before deputies and senators that are part of the Bicamaral Commission to evaluate the performance of the Armed Forces in public security tasks.
Senator Ricardo Monreal, president of that body, confirmed in an interview the presence of the general secretary no later than next week.
Luis Crescencio Sandoval will appear at the Senate headquarters together with the Secretaries of the Interior, the Navy and Public Security, who make up the Security Cabinet.
Senator Monreal clarified that the work session will serve for the Cabinet to render accounts of the performance of the last six months, although it will be at the discretion of the Secretary of National Defense if he decides to answer the questions that the deputies and senators may ask him regarding other issues. .
“The meeting will take place before the end of this month. The deadline for the report is May 18, the report has to cover the first semester, until the 18th. What they are going to report covers, then, until the 18th. And I have agreed with the Cabinet so that they can go to the Senate, for the presentation of this report, and to address the concerns and questions of the Bicamaral Commission, which will occur eight days later.” he detailed he.
“The meeting is confirmed: that is going to be fulfilled. I have spoken personally with each one of them, so that the responsibility is fulfilled, and I have received a positive response. It is the first time that it is going to be done.”
In recent weeks, Cresencio Sandoval has been in the midst of a series of scandals that began when information was released about the trip he took with his family to Europe at an expense of close to three million pesos.
Today, Grupo REFORMA announced an investigation by Mexicans against Corruption and Impunity (MCCI) in which the General’s purchase of a luxurious apartment from a National Defense provider came to light, which in the opinion of opponents exposes a typical case of conflict of interest.
Monreal said that he had a positive opinion of General Sandoval, whom he described as an upright man, careful of the law.
“Surely he will have the explanation (of the purchase of the apartment) and I trust his honor,” he said.
–What will happen when a deputy or senator questions the general about the purchase of that department?, he was asked.
–As normally these commissions are very open, I as president would attract attention; that is to say, reduce ourselves to the subject for which they are going to appear, but I cannot avoid it either, I cannot prohibit it either.
He will have the right to answer or not, because he should focus only on the report of the Armed Forces on public security.
