EL TIEMPO disclosed the secret letters and the custody of the French company Nexter Systems last April. –leader in land defense, artillery, ammunition, weapons and robotics– It was forwarded to the Ministry of Defense.
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The company, with the participation of the government, He has spent five months in Colombia insisting that irregularities were noted in a million-dollar purchase signed last December.
This is the purchase of batteries or artillery for a value for the Army. $101,710,000.
According to the French, they took first place in terms of convenience, price, payment method and delivery times. In fact, expert portals say that Colombia purchased 6 Nextrer howitzers for 30 million dollars.
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But everything changed in December, the purchase price almost tripled and the winner became an Israeli company. whose name remained secret. This newspaper has identified itself, based on Government sources, as Elbit Systems Land Ltda.
The case became significant because Nexter did not accept the following explanations. The defense portfolio has been handed over and claimed.
Additionally, the contract emerged following complaints from former Deputy Defense Minister Ricardo Díaz. In dialogue with the magazine WeekDíaz (who came to this portfolio on the recommendation of Casa de Nariño), He stated that he knew that they would accuse him of receiving 4 billion pesos for this contract after he rejected the pressure of the supreme government to purchase the helicopter.
There is demand for the defense portfolio The Díaz case is not mentioned. However, it is requested that the contract signed with the Israeli company be declared invalid.
“Moreover, Ministry sources say that the incident mentioned by the former deputy minister is related to the purchase of another Barak anti-aircraft system: It was also from an Israeli company.”
In any case, the case is ongoing. Although the text is known only to the parties and now to the Cundinamarca Administrative Court, EL TIEMPO found that companies interested in the sale of anti-aircraft batteries were asked to be invited again and a reward was offered to the best bidder.
The Ministry of Defense announced that it would not comment on the former deputy minister’s statements. And he told EL TIEMPO at the time that everything was legal, that the French participated only in the preparatory phase of the non-binding purchase and that the Israeli company complied with the maximum number of technical specifications required.
(See all articles from ELTIEMPO Investigation Unit here)
Cundinamarca Administrative Court evaluates the case and considers whether the claim is accepted or rejected.
RESEARCH UNIT
u.investigativa@eltiempo.com
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Source: Exame
