Mexico’s top-ranking federal auditor Arturo Gonzalez de Aragon is calling for a reform to the constitution to allow his office the power to not just recommend corrective actions but to also sanction public servants who don’t follow through with the recommendations.
Gonzalez de Aragon claims that the current system prevents public servants from taking full responsibility for their actions and that is preventing the office of the Auditor Superior de la Federación from having a larger impact. The state’s ability to hold public officials accountable for their action is one of the necessary conditions for democracy, according to Gonzalez de Aragon. The office run by Gonzalez de Aragon recently concluded an audit into the 2007 budget that determined that the ultimate destination of millions of pesos remains unclear. The money was supposed to be used for public security, social programs and infrastructure projects, but it had instead been distributed among special commissions. Gonzalez de Aragon criticized the movement of the public money into these special accounts since it raises questions as to the proper use of these funds.
From the July Justice in Mexico Project’s Monthly News Report:
http://www.justiceinmexico.org/news/recent_news.php
SOURCES:
“Recomienda ASF sancionar a funcionarios incumplidos.” El Financiero. June 26, 2009.
