Uruguay
Gandini Denied Links to the Convicted Man and the Partido Nacional Is Assessing How to Proceed
The National Party leader said neither he nor his wife were summoned by the courts and stated that there were no contributions to the sector. Meanwhile, the Partido Nacional is analyzing its next steps, and the Frente Amplio warned that it is following the case closely.
Jorge Gandini gave his public version of the case involving an adviser to a councilman from his sector, convicted in the Trazador operation, and a collection office that belongs to his wife. According to El País, the leader said that both he and his wife have “nothing to hide” and stressed that they did not receive any court summonses or notifications.
According to that outlet, Gandini said he can state “totally and absolutely” that Pablo Leiva did not make any financial contributions to his group. He also said he did not know the convicted man, although he did know his son, who is active in his sector and remains an adviser to councilman Gonzalo Gómez.
Regarding the collection office, Gandini explained, according to El País, that the franchise was bought by his wife 13 months ago and that it is marital property. He added that Leiva had been known to the employees for at least two and a half years as a neighbor and regular customer, and that at the business he paid bills from the Banco de Previsión Social for two small construction companies and, on one occasion, one from the Dirección General Impositiva.
Still according to El País, the director of the Administración Nacional de Puertos ruled out that Leiva had bought or sold dollars at that location and said that all transactions are documented. He also said there are 14 surveillance cameras in the business and placed himself, together with his wife, at the disposal of the Fiscalía; in his case, also of the Junta de Transparencia y Ética Pública.
The Partido Nacional has not yet defined an institutional position on the episode. Gandini said he does not ask for or expect party backing and that he has already spoken with Álvaro Delgado to give him his version of events. According to El País, Gonzalo Gómez sent a WhatsApp message to the board in which he made himself “fully available” and expressed his intention to appear before whichever body the party deems appropriate to explain what happened, while he continues his trip in China.
That same outlet reported that Senator Javier García contacted Delgado to have the possibility of addressing the case in the party’s ethics committee analyzed, although the issue was not considered at Monday’s board meeting in Durazno.
From the opposition, Frenteamplista lawmaker Julieta Sierra questioned Gandini’s explanations and said on X that the situation is “alarming.” According to El País, she also said that the Frente Amplio is closely following the case and that it could eventually push legislative and political actions.
For his part, Interior Minister Carlos Negro said before Gandini’s press conference that money laundering and drug trafficking are a concern for the ministry and that the case is under investigation. According to El País, he said these are complex inquiries that take time and that whoever corresponds will have to answer.
Fuentes
Sobre esta nota. Written by El Notero with assistance from artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not conduct its own reporting on this event.
