2024-07-14 10:46:19
Rosa Argudo, who has been the top leader of the sole union of IESS workers for 21 years, confirmed to the assembly members that five of her relatives work at the IESS. Her son-in-law was the provincial director of Azuay.
Two daughters, a son and two nephews (one hers and one her husband’s) of the union leader, Rosa Argudo, work at the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute (IESS). Argudo has been the head of the union at the institute for 21 years.
She herself acknowledged this in a statement made by Azuay assembly members, held these days regarding the scandals due to medical malpractice at the José Carrasco Arteaga Hospital. And this scandal ended up uncovering poor management at this health facility, one of the three largest in the IESS.
One of Argudo’s daughters is said to be the sole shareholder of the JPP Vending Company, a company that is apparently responsible for providing vending machines for snacks, Internet recharging machines and a coffee machine at the José Carrasco Arteaga Hospital.
Although the agreement with that company established the installation of two snack vending machines, six ended up being installed. But two were uninstalled these days, and no one knows where they are, commented the Provincial Director of the IESS. The agreement was signed in 2019 for two years; that is, it was supposed to end in 2021. Although there is no tacit renewal clause within the agreement, it would have been renewed.
Esteban Villa, provincial director of the IESS, explained that the owner of the machines is not known with certainty, but he said that they all have the same contact number in the name of Lourdes Angélica Terreros Argudo, daughter of Rosa Argudo. But that seems to be only the tip of the ball of alleged irregularities that occur in this health center, which is one of the three largest in the IESS.
Hence, Villa filed a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office on June 24, 2024 to determine who is the company that owns these snack vending machines. During the hearing, the assembly members gave the floor to Rosa Argudo, who was surprised by the legislators’ questions. Argudo said that she, as a natural person, attended because the general manager of the José Carrasco Arteaga Hospital asked her to “accompany him” and maintained that she did not receive an official summons with questions. Even so, the assembly members asked her questions because “Which owes nothing fears nothing”.
Argudo confirmed that Lourdes Terreros is his daughter and that she works at the IESS. He also confirmed that Maricela Terreros Argudo is also his daughter and works at the IESS, but Rosa Argudo said that she entered through a competition in 2005.
Pablo Terreros Argudo also works at the IESS. He is also Rosa Argudo’s son, as she herself confirmed, but she said that he won a competition in 2007 for a position at the IESS in Cañar. And then he won another competition for a position at the José Carrasco Arteaga Hospital. In addition, she confirmed that Rolando Argudo Tello, whom she identified as her nephew, works at the institution, although she said that he entered the institute after winning a competition in 2015.
Dany Tello Terreros, another nephew of her husband, also won a contest to work at the IESS, a position he still holds today, Rosa Argudo acknowledged. The assembly members gave six more names of supposed relatives of Argudo who would work at the IESS, but she said she did not know them. And although her daughter is the sole shareholder of the company JPP Vending, with supposed agreements with the IESS, Rosa Argudo said she does not know that company and that it was the first time she heard its name. She also said she did not know that that company would have an agreement for snack vending machines with the IESS.
Asked if her children have other contracts with the IESS, Argudo said that “I don’t know of any.” She also acknowledged that Franklin Rojas is her son-in-law and also worked for five months as provincial director of the IESS in Azuay, but she was not precise in indicating during which government he held this position. “I don’t remember, I think that in the other government someone recommended him, I don’t remember (…) I think it was during Guillermo Lasso’s government (…)”.
And he added: “with him (his son-in-law) we only talk about why the baby is crying, the labor issue is outside,” said Argudo. Another question was what is the annual fee charged for support and activities carried out by the union, Argudo said he does not know, but that it is regulated by law and offered to provide the information.
By: Primicias