Former vice minister Carina Pinasco on recognizing an NGO close to her: “Perhaps it was my mistake”

Former Vice Minister for Strategic Development of Natural Resources, Karina Pinasco Velaconfirmed that on Tuesday she resigned from her position at the Ministry of Environment (Minam) after a journalistic report revealed alleged patronage of an NGO close to her.

“I resigned because I was hurting third parties, such a valuable leadership of Minister Alvina Ruiz, and there was no point in hurting third parties, even such beautiful processes that have been so transparent over the past few years. recognition of initiatives (within Minam),” he said.

In an interview with RPP Noticias, the now former vice minister Karina Pinasco Vela She denied that she had made a mistake or benefited the NGO “Amazónicos por la Amazonía” (AMPA), which she herself founded with her family, as a journalistic complaint about its content.

“There was nothing unusual about the whole process, because let’s remember that these OMEG recognition processes have been ongoing since 2018, at COP 14, under the Biological Diversity Agreement of which Peru is a part (…) The process with Amazon through Amazon has begun in June 2022,” he said, justifying the procedure.

After excluding the receipt of economic benefits, after the NGO “Amazónicos por la Amazonía” managed to submit a letter to Ministry of the Environment in which he requested that the Alto Huayabamba concession, which he manages, be registered as OMEC. However, he admitted that he may have erred because of his “inexperience” in the public sector.

“The ministry says they meet the criteria. It scans the world’s database of protected and protected areas (…) The benefit is not just the recognition, it has to be clear. Appreciate, make visible – this is what we strive for. for people who work (…)”, he explained.

“Maybe it was my fault if I didn’t get it (alleged conflict of interest). Since it was already accepted by the previous vice minister and all the technical part passed, all legal agreements (…) say it Less yes (it was a mistake). This could be a mistake because I should have said that it only happened (another NGO). Perhaps my inexperience in the public sector was that I made a mistake,” he admitted.

Pinasco Vela admitted that he founded the non-governmental organization “Amazónicos por la Amazonía”; At the same time, she clarified that she resigned from the executive directorate on December 13 last year, two days before taking office as vice minister, and remained only a “partner”. According to him, at that time he withdrew from “any association in which he was a member or held a leadership position.”

Deputy Minister resigned

Earlier, the Ministry of Environment (Minam) announced that it had accepted the resignation Karina Pinasco Vela Vice Minister for Strategic Development of Natural Resources.

Similarly, the Sector indicated that all documentary information requested by the Second Specialized Prosecutor for Offenses of Corruption of Officials was provided and any additional information requested was given priority.

As you know, on Tuesday, the prosecutor’s office conducted searches in the offices of Ministry of the Environment after learning of a journalists’ complaint against Pinasco Vela for allegedly helping the non-governmental organization “Amazónicos por la Amazonía” (AMPA), which she founded with her family.

According to a report broadcast by Sunday’s Punto Final program, the current vice minister would allow the Alto Huayabamba concession, which is managed by the non-governmental organization AMPA, to be registered as an OMEC (Other Area Conservation Measures) in order to receive international funding for its activities.

The journalist’s complaint alleges that this alleged violation should have occurred on December 15, 2022, the same day that Pinasco Vela was appointed to the position of Vice Minister of Natural Resources Strategic Development. Ministry of the Environment.

Having learned about this case, representatives of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office went to Ministry of the Environment to make sure that the then vice minister did not regularly benefit the non-governmental organization “Amazónicos por la Amazonía”.

A revealing detail is that the request sent by the Pinasco Vela family reached the Ministry of the Environment on December 15 at 14:52, and only a day later, on December 16, they received a response.

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