Latinus Exposes Multi-Million Peso Cenagas Contracts, Alleging Corruption

Mexico: Latinus Investigates Cenagas Contracts Amid Allegations of Corruption Mexico City – An investigative report by the Mexican news outlet Latinus has revealed details about multi-million dollar contracts awarded by the Centro Nacional de Control del Gas Natural (Cenagas) to companies allegedly connected to friends of Andy Lopez Beltrán, son of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The report alleges irregularities and potential conflicts of interest. The Latinus report focuses on contracts awarded between 2022 and 2024, totaling approximately 2 billion pesos. The investigation highlights the involvement of Abraham David Alipi Mena, a former Cenagas official, and his connections to the companies that received the contracts. The report also points to the role of Kleber Quintero, head of materials resources, and his alleged involvement in a scheme to simulate competition during the bidding process. "Information from transparency reveals that Kleber Quintero signed 12 contracts for 2 billion pesos, given to three companies that are part of the same network," the Latinus report states. The report names Kepler Oil & Gas, Ace Oil & Gas, and Impacto Ingeniería y Construcción as the recipients of these contracts. The report also includes images from social media, showing close relationships between key individuals involved in the contracts and Lopez Beltrán's associates. This evidence suggests a potential conflict of interest and raises concerns about transparency in government contracting. The report further details how the contracts were structured to favor specific companies, potentially circumventing fair competition. The report concludes by highlighting the long careers of some of the individuals involved in the government, and the potential implications of these allegations for the integrity of government procurement processes. The investigation underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in public contracting to prevent corruption and ensure fair competition.