Yesterday I posted the Lanata YouTube (in Spanish),
I didn’t have time to post on one of the topics Lanata covered, the Scholas Ocurrentes fraud (starting at 39:10 into the video). Luckily, PanamPost has the story:
Pope Francis’ Foundation Under Fire over Embezzlement Allegations. Journalists Reveal Subsidies, Incomplete Headquarters from Former Cristina Kirchner Administration
Argentinean journalist Jorge Lanata revealed that, during former President Cristina Kirchner‘s rule, the Planning Ministry financed the works to the tune of ARS$10 million (US$663,400).
However, the building, which should have been finished nine months ago, is only 40 percent complete and the expenses already exceed the budget.
The president of Scholas Ocurrentes, José María del Corral, said he was not aware of the building’s construction and claimed he was even asking the current Macri administration help to build one.
But the Sunday TV show aired images of a half-finished building with a sign clearly indicating the construction of Scholas Ocurrentes’ headquarters.
Furthermore, the former Planning Minister, Julio de Vido, had publicly announced the construction as part of the state program “Enamorar,” a AR$260 million (US$17.2 million) investment that also included other buildings and artistic and educational projects.
And then there were Cristina’s multiple visits to the Vatican (on which I posted about last year,)
Kirchner Propaganda in the Vatican
Another irregularity allegedly took place last year, in the midst of the presidential campaign, when Scholas Ocurrentes invited the Planning minister to set up a recital in the Vatican.
The event cost Argentineans AR$5.6 million(US$377,540) and was paid through the public Argentinean universities San Martín and Tres de Febrero.
The journalists claimed that during the event, which marked the closing of Scholas’ Fourth World Congress, an ad boasting the Kirchner administration was shown.
Lanata also reported on auctions for trips to the Vatican, which were unauthorized by Scholas, and the participation of celebrities, among them Messi, who – in unrelated news – was sentenced yesterday to 21 months in jail for tax fraud in Spain.
