by Ana Vinas, FNS Writer and Translator
The federal Secretary of Control and Administrative Development (Secretaria de Controlaria y Desarrollo Administrativo, Secodam) announced recently that the Assistant Secretary of Tourism, Sigfrido Paz Paredes, has been found responsible for irregularities in the financial trusteeship of the Copper Canyon in Chihuahua State, the Sea of Cortez bordering Sonora state and Baja California and several other tourism programs in Mexico. In a press conference, Secodam explained that while the destinations and programs were public properties, the trusteeships used them as though they were private. Secodam found direct adjustments were made that favored companies in which relatives of Tourism Department employees were working. Those family members were even involved in technical committees of the trusteeships. The extent of fraud committed in the Department is estimated at $2,409,495 pesos according to Secodam.
In Chihuahua State, the director of the Economic Development Department, Enrique Terrazas Torres, affirmed that the legal problems in the Tourism Department will have no effect on the actions and programs of the Master Plan for Copper Canyon.
Sources: Diario de Juarez