Óscar Andrade hired Gonzalo Fernández, one of the most expensive lawyers in Uruguay.

Criminal prosecutor Gilberto Rodríguez is investigating the massive $1.2 billion scam at Sunca perpetrated by union members from the Communist Party (PCU).

Some of those criminally convicted stated that the stolen money from the construction union was allocated to the PCU list 1001.

Basically, it was used to finance their 2024 and 2025 electoral campaigns, as well as to finance the PIT-CNT social security referendum campaign held in October 2024.

In recent days, it has emerged that ÓscarAndrade and DanielDiverio, both PCU legislators, were identified as responsible for the massive scam by those who have already testified before the prosecutor's office.

Both hired attorney Gonzalo Fernández, who was Tabaré Vázquez's right-hand man for many years. 

Who is Gonzalo Fernández?

Gonzalo Daniel Fernández Domínguez, born on March 21, 1952, in Montevideo, is a criminal lawyer, former professor, and politician from Frente Amplio, although he has not held government positions for several years. 

He is a Grade 5 professor in Criminal Law at Universidad de la República, where he also serves as director of the Journal of Criminal Sciences.

He has written several books, such as Derecho penal de las sociedades anónimas (1983), Derecho penal y derechos humanos (1988), Manual de Derecho Penal (1989), among others.

He has also taught courses at universities in Argentina, Chile, and Peru.

He held several political positions in Frente Amplio governments. 

During Vázquez's first administration (2005-2010), he held key positions:
Secretary of the Presidency (2005-2008), Minister of Foreign Affairs (2008-2009), and Minister of Defense (2009-2010).

He was considered Vázquez's right-hand man for a long time.

He is a member of the SocialistParty (since 1985, although he left the Committee in 2003 after criticism for defending banker Jorge Peirano Basso).

In 2010, he was accused of an alleged "conspiracy" related to the repeal of an article of Law 2,230, which benefited the Peirano Basso brothers in a banking fraud case (Banco de Montevideo). 

The complaint was dismissed in 2013.

Who pays Fernández's fees?

He is one of the best lawyers specialized in Criminal Law in Uruguay, and as befits a professional of his stature, he charges high fees that are not for everyone.

ÓscarAndrade has just hired him to represent him in the investigation being conducted by prosecutor Rodríguez.

Any person involved in a criminal investigation can hire the lawyer they deem appropriate. 

What is striking is that a few years ago Andrade publicly stated that, although he was a senator, he could not pay the propertytax on his chalet in the San Luis resort.

He also said that he drew the chalet plans himself because he could not afford to pay an architect either.

According to his own words, he was so poor that he did not pay the contributions to the BPS either.

However, now it seems that he does have money and has hired one of the most expensive lawyers in the country.

Where does the money come from? Who is paying Fernández's fees? 

Apparently, earning a senator's salary did not allow him to pay the property tax to the Canelones municipality, nor could he pay the workers' contributions to the BPS, but he can pay high fees to a professional. 

Gilberto Rodríguez, Fernández's assistant

Prosecutor Gilberto Rodríguez, who is investigating corruption at Sunca and PCU, was for several years an assistant in the Criminal Law department at the Law School of Universidad de la República under Gonzalo Fernández himself.

In some way, Rodríguez was subordinate to Fernández, since the latter was the full professor and Rodríguez the assistant. 

More questions

If Óscar Andrade and Daniel Diverio are completely innocent as they claim, why did they hire a Grade 5 lawyer in Criminal Law to assist them?

It would be enough to testify before the prosecutor's office with a less well-known lawyer who charges more modest fees. 

If they had to call a Grade 5 criminal lawyer, they surely have something to hide, something shady and dark that they do not want the prosecutor's office to know. 

The explanations from Andrade and Diverio do not add up in any way.

Corruption in PCU and Sunca must be thoroughly investigated and all those responsible must be convicted, even if they are legislators.