Fernando Niembro (photo: Wikimedia Commons)
One of the main candidates in the race for national deputy for the province of Buenos Aires, Fernando Niembro, resigned on Wednesday amid a growing scandal.
The well-known sports journalist came under fire when reports emerged that his production company, La Usina, was awarded over $21m in contracts by the Buenos Aires City government.
In an open letter, Niembro wrote that he was stepping down to avoid the negative publicity to the PRO party, for which he was running.
“I have a great peace about my actions. Everything I’ve done has been transparent and according to the law,” he wrote. “I have no doubt that in time this will be clarified before society and the justice system.”
But the corruption scandal has triggered an investigation by Procelac, the government office responsible for economic crime and money laundering. Newspaper Tiempo Argentino broke the story about Niembro’s company receiving tens of millions in contracts from the government just over two weeks ago.
La Usina billed Mauricio Macri’s administration for “survey services” and “audit services”, and many have suggested favouritism was a factor in Niembro securing the contracts.
Niembro was running as a member of Macri’s party, which staunchly defended his actions despite public criticism.
Macri, presidential candidate for PRO, spoke out in defence of Niembro to Clarín on Thursday and said that “Fernando has nothing to hide… I have no doubt that (he) is innocent.”
But Cabinet Chief Aníbal Fernández called upon Macri, Deputy Mayor and candidate for Buenos Aires governor María Eugenia Vidal, and Buenos Aires city mayor-elect Horacio Rodríguez Larreta to explain their role in the scandal.
“The responsibility falls on who is in charge of the state,” he said in an interview with C5N.
Presidential and legislative elections will take place on 25th October.
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