The Superior Audit Office of the Federation has revealed that the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) may have caused damage to the federal public treasury totaling 158 million pesos in the delegations of Baja California, Chihuahua, Tabasco, and Yucatán. These figures represent only an audited sample of 23.5% of the 11,870 million pesos that the IMSS spent on food in 2022 across all delegations and UMAEs.
In documents addressed to Zoé Robledo, head of the IMSS, the ASF communicates that it will proceed according to the provisions of the Federal Law on Auditing and Accountability in case of damage to the federal public treasury, which would involve the filing of corresponding criminal complaints with the Specialized Prosecutor's Office.
The new head of the Internal Control Body (OIC) of the IMSS, Guillermo Álvarez Quintana, will need to take action. For his part, the former head of the OIC, Arturo Orci, who had family ties to Javier Guerrero García, is being pointed out, while the latter continues to defend that the Operations and Evaluation Directorate does not interfere in the procurement of goods.
The ASF report suggests a millionaire embezzlement of 397 million pesos in the purchase, distribution, and supply of food in the IMSS. The entity was only able to justify the use of 239 million pesos, leaving the destination of the remaining 158 million unaccounted for, both in the delegations and in the UMAEs.
The results of the audit indicate that the Institutional Linkage and Delegation Evaluation Directorate should supervise operations related to food and groceries, a competent function of the Administrative Directorate according to the Internal Regulations of the IMSS.
In light of these revelations, Zoé Robledo, director of the IMSS, faces uncertainty regarding the management of his subordinate and threats of lawsuits from the latter against media outlets that he considers defamatory.
According to the ASF, the responsibility for internal control lies with Zoé Robledo, the administration led by Borsalino González Andrade, and all public servants in their respective responsibilities, according to the annual report on the status of the Internal Control System of the IMSS.
