El Salvador’s National Assembly will investigate Taiwan's $10 million donation to Francisco Flores
With 49 votes, El Salvador’s National Assembly approved on Thursday November 28, 2013, the formation of a Special Commission to investigate the fate of $10,000,000 donated by the government of Taiwan to the administration of former President of El Salvador Francisco Flores. The donation was confirmed by the Government of Taiwan and it was intended to cover for damages caused by earthquakes in 2001.
The agenda item in the Assembly was introduced by Rep. Francisco Merino and had the support of the fractions of the FMLN and the political fraction of Unidos por El Salvador.
Merino explained that unfortunately El Salvador cannot thank the government of Taiwan for donating the funds to the country, because the destination is not known yet.
The investigation is being taken by the National Assembly after President of El Salvador Mauricio Funes disclosed sensitive information, in which the Taiwanese government issued three checks to former president Francisco Flores, whose sum totaled $10 million.
These funds, allegedly, went from a bank based in New York to Banco Cuscatlan of Costa Rica, supposedly to fund the Institute for Liberty and Progress. However, the authorities of the Institute for Liberty and Progress confirmed that they did not receive the funds.
After showing the negative confirmation by the Institute for Liberty and Progress, the President showed a transaction report prepared by the Department of Treasury of the United States, indicating that, on October 22, 2003, there was a suspicious transaction between Miami International Bank and Banco Cuscatlan of Costa Rica.
In this financial transaction, as shown on the document displayed, Francisco Flores endorsed two checks, totaling $4 million and transferred them to the Bahamas. After the money was sent to the Bahamas, Treasury Department loses track of the funds.
El Salvador’s National Assembly suspects that the $10 million received by Francisco Flores might have been used for personal use, instead of the earthquake.
Francisco Flores is currently the General Campaign Manager for ARENA's presidential candidate, Norman Quijano.
FMLN-USA
