Two top officials in Río Negro’s local government have been fired over allegations of misusing materials meant for rural road maintenance. The suspicious activity reportedly started as far back as 2022 and involved diverting hundreds of truckloads of materials.
The department’s governing board unanimously voted to remove the officials from their positions. One of them held a high-ranking role overseeing the department’s road infrastructure.
Investigation Underway
Río Negro’s local government has also filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office. Some lawmakers from the opposition and National Party are calling for a deeper probe into other high-ranking officials who might have overlooked the alleged wrongdoing.
The mayor of Río Negro, Fabricio Tiscornia, stated that protecting the rights of local residents is key. He mentioned that he requested the officials’ dismissal two months ago. The local government has conducted an internal investigation and now the prosecutor’s office will look into possible crimes.
Tiscornia noted that the local government’s inquiry was thorough, given its scope. The case is now in the hands of the prosecutor’s office to determine the extent of any wrongdoing.