Lack of transparency reaches 19S earthquake victims

A year after the September 19 earthquake , there is no information about, at least, MXN $2,767 million, out of the MXN $3,904.5 million received by grantors from national and foreign donors , as well as by the private sector, to support the victims in eight states.

According to a revision carried out by EL UNIVERSAL , the Transparency Reports made by Earthquake Grantors from September 2017 and up to May 2018, published by the Tax Administration System ( SAT ), from the MXN $3,904.5 million raised by authorized organizations, only MXN $1,137 million were documented and can be traced.

What was it spent on?

In the MXN $2,767 million that hasn't been clarified, MXN $857.6 million were labeled as “other” expenses, and their destination can't be traced. According to information provided by the SAT , MXN $1,910.4 million are 48.93% of the funds raised, and this amount wasn't spent on aiding the survivors .

If you add up those MXN $1,910.4 million with the MXN $857.6 million labeled as “other” expenses, we have a total of MXN $2,767 million, which are missing. Therefore, only a third of the funds were spent on helping the victims.

From those MXN $1,137 million that reached the victims , MXN $844.8 millions were spent on housing; MXN $169.1 million on food; MXN $ 75.9 million were spent on medical care; MXN $31.9 million on rescue missions; MXN $15.4 million on Mexico's National Heritage; and MXN $124,206 on funeral services.

Distribution by state

Until May 2018, MXN $394.7 million were allocated to Oaxaca ; MXN $265.4 million to Mexico City ; Morelos received MXN $199.6 million; MXN $159.8 million to Chiapas ; Puebla received MXN $68.6 million; MXN $65 for the State of Mexico ; Guerrero was allocated MXN $6.5; and Tlaxcala received MXN $4.7 million. The location of the MXN $829.6 millions remaining is unknown, because they were used through second grantors, without a name or business name, and they aren't forced to inform the government about the use of those resources.

The grantors who received the most

According to the transparency report published by the SAT , 5 out of the 667 grantors concentrated 38% of the resources , a total of MXN $1,484 million.

These grantors are the Carlos Slim Foundation, Mexican Red Cross, BBVA Bancomer Foundation, Banamex Social Development, and Fuerza México Trust Fund . Nevertheless, the financial records of these five grantors available online report a total of MXN $5,098.8 million funds raised, this is 70.8% more than what they reported to the SAT until May 31.

Besides Carlos Slim's foundation , none of them has transparency in regards to the interests generated by the funds raised; Banamex Social Development and Fuerza México didn't reveal the amount allocated to each state, a requirement demanded by the SAT .

According to information provided by themselves, the Mexican Red Cross and the Banamex Social Developmen t are the ones who report the biggest development is the use of resources, 44% and 72% each. EL UNIVERSAL tried to contact the five grantors, but they weren't available for comment.

Home reconstruction for earthquake victims is left incomplete

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