Óscar Andrade to the prosecutor's office for corruption in the Communist Party and Sunca

Criminal prosecutor Gilberto Rodríguez is in charge of a significant case involving the construction union SUNCA (Sindicato Único Nacional de la Construcción y Anexos).

Three former Sunca union members —Santiago Bernaola, Bruno Bertolio, and Víctor Rivero— were detained for diverting funds from the Construction Workers' Social Housing Fund (Fosvoc), which was intended for workers' housing.

Rodríguez accused them of crimes such as embezzlement, fraud, and criminal association, following a complaint from SUNCA itself, which detected a shortfall of about 35,600 million pesos (78,485,000 pounds) and 17,500 dollars. There were further shortfalls later.

Rodríguez also indicated that part of the diverted funds —estimated at more than 1,200,000dollars— may have been used to finance the Communist Party of Uruguay (PCU) and SUNCA activities.

Oscar Andrade summoned

This Thursday the 12th, the prosecutor stated that he plans to summon PCU legislators, Senator Óscar Andrade and Representative DanielDiverio.

Andrade was for many years the leading figure of Sunca. It is absolutely impossible that he was unaware of a fraud involving 1,200,000 dollars.

Although prosecutor Rodríguez was cautious, everything indicates that the responsibility of Andrade and Diverio is clear.

The latter, also from the Communist Party, is currently a representative for the department of Canelones.

Andrade must provide explanations

Whether by action or omission, both Andrade and Diverio must have become aware that the Construction Fund was plundered.

A fraud of that nature can't go unnoticed by those who were the main leaders of Sunca for many years.

The prosecutor also confirmed that the Communist Party illegally financed electoral campaigns through money stolen from the Construction Fund.

Although, of course, the prosecutorial investigation has not concluded, Rodríguez gave every indication that this is a gigantic mega fraud in which politicians and union leaders from the Communist Party appropriated what belonged to others for party, and perhaps personal, benefit.