Alfredo Castro, um dos mais respeitados atores chilenos, será uma das atrações de “Os Dias Eram Assim”, supersérie da Globo escrita por Angela Chaves e Alessandra Poggi, passada entre 1970 e 1985 e que tem estreia prevista para abril, na faixa das 23h.
Hernando é o seu personagem, marido de Laura (Cyria Coentro) e pai de Rimena (Maria Casadevall). No Chile, sua família exila o médico Renato, papel do protagonista Renato Góes, por causa da ditadura brasileira. Ele já concluiu seu trabalho nas gravações e planeja vir ao Brasil para passar férias e participar do lançamento.
Premiado no teatro e cinema, Castro integrou o elenco da segunda temporada da série “Narcos” vivendo o pai do narcotraficante colombiano Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura).
Apesar da referência à ditadura, ao momento histórico e suas transformações, “Os Dias Eram Assim” terá como fio condutor a história de amor entre Renato e a estudante Alice (Sophie Charlotte). Depois de serem separados, cada um resolve seguir sua vida, mas a maior parte da história ocorre após o reencontro deles, no período pré-abertura política, em 1984.
As gravações, agora, acontecem em locações no Rio de Janeiro.
An Australian man missing since last month has been found, his parents say.
Justin Richard Cooke, 38, flew from Sydney to Auckland on January 9 and told his mother, Chris, he would call her when he arrived – he never did.
But tonight, his relieved parents, Chris and John, received word that their son was okay.
“We just got the message,” Chris told the Herald.
“We don’t know anything more than that he’s been found … we’re not sure what part of New Zealand he is in or what he’s been doing.”
John said he was first alerted that his son was okay via a Facebook post, and has since talked to his son.
He said he didn’t discuss with his son where he had been or what he was doing but said “everything was well”.
He added his son may be returning to Australia on Wednesday.
Cooke’s parents became increasingly worried as time passed without word from him.
Immigration New Zealand told them their son had entered New Zealand, but he wasn’t heard from after he landed.
Cooke had travelled extensively internationally and within Australia and always touched base to let his parents know what he was doing when he arrived somewhere, his father John earlier told the Herald.
It was unclear where in New Zealand Cooke was travelling to, but it was likely he had come to sell strawberries, a job he had been doing in Australia for the last six to nine months.
He had never been to New Zealand before, John said, but was supposed to be meeting up with a friend when he arrived.
Last Friday police appealed for any sightings of Cooke.
Australia loses the series and the Chappell-Hadlee trophy with a 24-run loss in the third ODI against New Zealand.
New Zealand led the three-match series 1-0 after almost throwing away a winning position in the opening match after Marcus Stoinis’ other-worldly heroics.
The second match was a farcical washout, with the Napier outfield refusing to dry despite little rain throughout the matchday.
Australia threatened to replicate the first-ODI comeback in Hamilton, but fell 24 runs short of the Black Caps’ total of 281.
Look back at all the stats, scores and commentary.
New Zealand, the ‘lifeboat’ at the bottom of the world? Photo / Mark Mitchell
The billionaires of this world clearly know something that the rest of us don’t, says Peter Foster: it seems that the human race is closer to Armageddon than we mortal wage-slaves ever realised.
Perhaps it’s Donald Trump winning the White House that’s left them all a-jitter, or maybe the Spanish veggie famine, or the rise of the robots, or the global inequalities finally reaching breaking point. Whatever the cause, tech billionaires and hedge fund titans are all tooling up and making ready to head for the hills.
Most precisely, the hills of New Zealand. Maybe it’s all down to watching too many Lord of Rings movies in their private cinemas, but according to recent reports it is to private landing strips in the Mirkwoods of Middle Earth that the flocks of Lears and Gulfstreams will head when the balloon goes up.
Peter Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal, is among 92 high net worth individuals granted New Zealand citizenship under special terms for high-rollers, the Financial Times reported last weekend, as they seek a “lifeboat” destination to escape to when the rest of us are reduced to hunting and gathering along the shattered streets.
Billionaire American technology entrepreneur Peter Thiel has been granted NZ citizenship.
Thiel, ever ahead of the curve, owns a 500-acre estate on Lake Wanaka which he is reported to have snapped up for £8.5m in 2015. And to judge by sky-rocketing high-end property prices in New Zealand, there are plenty more uber wealthy types quietly acquiring luxury boltholes.
These are the kind of places, according to the man from Sotheby’s International, that “come with their own water supply, power source and the ability to grow food”. It was at this sentence that I, as a one-time former resident of New Zealand, started laughing.
You see, we’ve been here before. Back in 1999 all these people with too much time and money on their hands flocked to New Zealand terrified that the Millennium Bug – remember that? – was finally going to trigger the end of the human race.
There were fears that as the world’s computers ticking over from 99 to 00 the would trigger a syntax error of such global proportions that the clocks would stop, the traffic lights would go out and life-critical systems from air-traffic control to intensive care would suddenly blink, blink… then go dead.
Nothing was apparently safe from the Y2K bug, from electronic Japanese toilets with built-in bidets that would start spewing out scalding water (or worse, none at all) to the silos of ageing US nuclear missiles – coded as they were at the height of the cold war in the 1970’s – opening their mechanical maws and disgorging their dreaded cargo.
The ever-practical Kiwi authorities spared no expense in preparing their population for the end, creating “Ken the Cockroach” (the Millennium bug, geddit?) to warn of the disasters that might lie ahead. But the clocks struck midnight, and the sky did not fall.
And guess what? All the rich cranks went home. I know, because some four years later, in 2004, I myself retreated from the world for a year, renting a beautiful beachside home in Golden Bay on the New Zealand’s South Island that had been built by a Canadian Y2K refugee who had come to see out his days watching the sun set over the Southern Ocean.
The pastoral life may sound idyllic but the reality is a lot harsher. Photo / Paul Taylor
By all accounts the owner had quickly got bored of tending his veggies and making fruitless fishing trips all while homeschooling his kids and scooping up after his livestock. “He was surprised how much s— they made,” chortled one mirthful local who’d seen a few of these types come and go. The Canadian himself was following in the well-worn footsteps of a bunch of 1980’s Greenpeace types who were convinced Reagan was going to incinerate the planet – the same as Donald Trump.
All of which is to say that none of us should be too jealous of the Silicon Valley super-rich, because – penny-to-a-bag of bitcoins – if the world really does go up in smoke they’ll be the last to cope. Kiwis are a hardy species who are well-used to surviving. Indeed, from a very early age kindergarten children do their survival drills, ducking and rolling under their school desks when the earthquake alarm sounds and learning how to “get through” if they are cut off from the outside world.
The Government’s “Get thru” website explicitly warns that New Zealand “faces many potential disasters”, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis that could “strike without warning”. And when it does, where will the billionaires be when all their assorted flunkies – the gardeners, pool-boys, fly fishing guides and the like – have retreated home to look after their own? When the fuel supplies run out, the phone lines are down and the satellites are all off-grid?
Then, the rich guys will have to chop their own firewood and master the art of the “wetback” log burner which heats most Kiwis’ houses and must never be allowed to go out. They will learn that when the man from Sotheby’s says that their properties have the “ability to grow food”, that those veggies don’t grow themselves – they must be defended day and night from the pitiless southern hemisphere sun and an astonishing array of voracious bugs and critters.
No matter how much money you have you will not be immune from natural disasters, such as this mudslide in Golden Bay in 2011. Photo / Tim Cuff
They will have to learn that fishing for sand flounders (a tasty flatfish, also known as a “dab”) with a sharpened stick looks easy on a YouTube video, but in truth entails many fruitless hours stalking across the mudflats making holes in the mud, or worse in my case, their own feet.
And when the Bushman bug juice runs out, they’ll have to contend with the tiny sandflies that bite and itch like no other biting creature on earth, tormenting all those homeschooled children who will be even less likely to sit still.
All this while in the next door encampment, the locals (immune to the sandflies after a while) are tucking into their fire-grilled flounder, gorging on home-caught wild pig, while being warmed by a woodburner that never goes out overnight (it’s the way you stack wood – hard then soft) while the bazillionaire’s once-glittering infinity pools turn slowly green, then putrid brown.
No, they’ll not last three weeks before they fire up the Learjet and – mercifully to everyone who is not a real estate agent – use their last tank of gas to head back to what remains of civilisation.
• Peter Foster is the Daily Telegraph’s Europe Editor. He fled big city life in 2004 to settle with his family in Golden Bay, Nelson. He lasted a year.
Source : New Zealand Herald and Daily Telegraph UK
Brisbane commuters will be bracing for more timetable trauma, with the latest iteration of the Queensland Rail’s schedule set to be reviewed.
Commissioner Phillip Strachan, and now Queensland Rail chair, handed down his report into the beleaguered operator on Monday, setting out 36 recommendations.
Among those was a call for QR to assess the sustainability of service levels under the current train timetable to allow at a minimum the provision of stable services and enough training capacity to allow the return to more services in the long-term.
Mr Strachan said he recommended QR have a “very serious look” at the latest train timetable, in place from January 23, to make sure it was robust.
“I’m not recommending any cut of services yet, but the recommendation is to have a strong look at the timetable to make sure it is going to deliver the services going forward,” Mr Strachan said.
In January, QR acting chief executive officer Neil Scales promised the timetable would be in place for the remainder of 2017.
The report also suggests QR only expected to recover full timetable services by late 2018 “which is not likely to meet public expectations”.
But what actually went wrong at QR, who was to blame and what happens next?
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Commissioner Phillip Strachan have unveiled the report into Queensland Rail and its recommendations. Photo: Pool image
What went wrong?
Mr Strachan said the problems did not stem from one issue, but compounding issues that “accumulated over time”.
While demand for train crew grew significantly, supply of qualified drivers declined, limitations meant the growing gap between supply and demand was not widely appreciated, and QR’s unclear governance arrangements made it difficult for the chief executive officer to maintain oversight.
Stirling Hinchliffe has resigned from his cabinet position over the Queensland Rail chaos. Photo: Supplied
A train driver shortage became apparent to the public following the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line in October 2016, with hundreds of services cancelled in the following months.
But QR realised it might not have enough crew for the new line in mid-2015, beginning internal recruitment of 100 drivers and 100 guards.
The driver shortage was caused by several issues, including a QR preference to operate with a 5-10 per cent undersupply of train crew and a consequent over-reliance on overtime – which boosted pay packets.
In the months leading up to the new timetable in October, QR staff worked unsustainable levels of overtime.
There were restrictions on external recruitment, and a 12-month halt of driver training from February 2014, and then training took about 18 months on average – twice as long as it should – with small class sizes.
“Increasing demand and decreasing supply opened up a gap of around 100 drivers at the end of last year, a shortfall,” Mr Strachan said.
“That gap has been traditionally closed by the use of overtime but in the end of October that lever of overtime became exhausted and could no longer close that gap.”
Photo: Robert Shakespeare
Who was to blame?
Mr Strachan said he did not think people deliberately hid the truth, but there was an unwillingness to share “bad news”.
“There were people down deep in the organisation that were having some concerns about some shortfall issues as far back as 2015 but there wasn’t a clear communication upwards into middle management and senior management to the CEO, to the board or to the responsible ministers,” he said.
“I don’t think there was any deliberate attempt to hide information – we touched on some cultural issues within the organisation, perhaps not always being willing to share some bad news or share issues.
“I’d like to see that culture change going forward.”
Mr Strachan pointed to accountability issues and communication failures.
He said the senior manager for train service delivery was focused on 58 hours ahead, but did not take action in the medium to longer term.
Mr Strachan said the general manager Citytrain was inexperienced and saw issues but did not have the confidence to raise them at the right time.
After pointing out other issues at senior levels, Mr Strachan said the chief operating officer did not raise issues or challenge assumptions.
Mr Strachan said chief executive officer Helen Gluer sought some assurances but was relying heavily on her chief operating officer, and did not challenge what she received.
He said the board was being briefed by the executive, which was not aware of the emerging issue, so the board was not being properly informed, and in turn did not advise ministers until October 2016.
Mr Strachan recommended QR confirm the senior manager for train service delivery should be accountable for managing supply, demand and responses to projected train crew shortfalls for at least a rolling eight-week forecast period.
Despite both sides of Parliament levelling the blame at each other in recent months, Mr Strachan said neither the present Labor government or previous LNP government were at fault.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Mr Strachan had uncovered issues that lay dormant for years.
Who has lost their job?
Stirling Hinchliffe is the latest to lose his job over the saga, stepping down as transport and Commonwealth Games minister.
He follows chief executive officer Helen Gluer, chairman Michael Klug and chief operating officer Kevin Wright, who all resigned, with the head of train service delivery being stood down.
And there are more job losses to come.
Mr Strachan has recommended eight layers of management become five layers and the role of chief operating officer be scrapped.
The Director-General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet has also referred the report to the Public Service Commissioner.
The Commissioner has been asked to consider whether the conduct of any Queensland government employees referred to in the report should be the subject of a disciplinary process under the Public Service Act 2008.
What were the other recommendations?
QR should develop a five-year rolling monthly forecast of demand and supply for train crew, a shake-up of managers’ roles and discuss rules around working time, meal breaks and rostering processes with unions.
QR should maintain a surplus of train crew to make sure operations can be conducted without the systemic reliance on overtime and tutors and inspectors having to take on operational roles.
Recruitment should be opened externally and to people with no experience, with an ongoing recruitment.
Training should also be sped up to nine months or less, with the curriculum overhauled.
Staff should be encouraged to proactively escalate potential issues to senior management, and communication to government overhauled.
The ratio of supervisors to train crew should also be increased significantly to improve the relationship and information flow between management and train crew.
Reporting to TransLink and the public should also be improved, so people can plan alternative travel arrangements when issues arise, with information to be available in real time at stations, online and through the call centre.
Photo: Glenn Hunt
What happens next?
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has committed to all 36 recommendations.
This includes establishing a new Citytrain Response Unit, for an initial period of 12 months, to act as a watchdog for QR, ensuring it stays on track.
But do not expect a quick fix as Mr Strachan said it would take two years for some of the 36 recommendations to take effect.
Ms Palaszczuk said it was important to open up QR driver positions to external recruitment as soon as possible.
“It should take around nine months to train a driver, especially if we look at the learning of the driving on sectors of the railway network,” she said.
QR expects it will have sufficient train crew to deliver the full timetabled services by late 2018, assuming 10 per cent overtime, or mid to late 2019, assuming no overtime.
The report states: “It is the Commission’s view that Queensland Rail has made limited progress in this regard since October 2016.”
Until there is enough crew to deliver the full timetable, QR will continue to operate with reduced services and high levels of overtime, the report reads.
Ms Palaszczuk has also pledged her government would work with the union.
Mr Strachan will meet shortlisted candidates for the position for chief executive officer on Friday.
QR has also been directed to provide a high-level response plan within 30 days.
Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls has asked for a comprehensive briefing with Mr Strachan on Tuesday.
“Following that, I will outline the LNP’s full response to the issues raised in regards to Queensland Rail,” he said.
Recent reports about the analysis that US military departments conduct into consequences of nuclear strikes on Russia and China have generates heated discussions in the world. What do Russia and China have to withstand a possible nuclear attack?
Russia has the automatic missile control system known as the Perimeter. The nuclear potential of China remains classified. According to experts’ estimates, it does not exceed the power of a quarter of a thousand of warheads, compared to nearly two thousand warheads that Russia and the USA have at their disposal. In addition, China has solid-fuel outdated missiles designed to break through the US missile defense system. Therefore, the problem of China’s retaliatory strike on the United States does not look very important.
What is the point of the US analysis at all? Why does the United States want to try to predict the consequences of a possible nuclear attack? The only rational motive that one can see here is an attempt to prevent retaliation in response. Is it possible to destroy the top leadership that could have an opportunity to give such an order? How is it possible technically?
Nowadays, one does not have to be in a specifically equipped place to be able to execute their powers or duties. In the 20th century, computers used to take whole floors in large buildings. Today, one can use a tiny laptop to work from anywhere, where there is Internet connection.
In the 20th century, there was such a thing known as a “nuclear suitcase.” In the USSR, the nuclear suitcase was known as the “Kazbek system.” In case of a nuclear attack, Russian leaders can be evacuated to underground bunkers or the flying command post, known as the Doomsday Aircraft (the US president has one too).
Of course, the enemy can bomb all those hideouts, but one would need to know their whereabouts. Therefore, such shelters should be classified on the top level. At the same time, one can covertly inform the enemy about fake targets.
The Perimeter system, known as the “Dead Hand” was put in operation in the USSR in 1985. In a nutshell, the system ensures the automatic launch of nuclear missiles in case of a nuclear attack against our country, even if there is no one left to be able to give such an order.
All the available data about the work of the system is served with such words as “probably,” “possibly,” and so on. No one knows how the system works exactly. In general, the Perimeter is a form of artificial intelligence that evaluates a multitude of factors about a nuclear attack on the basis of information received from radar stations, space satellites, seismic activity, etc.
Nuclear-capable missiles will thus be launched from silos, mobile launchers, strategic aircraft, submarines to strike pre-entered targets, unless there is no signal from the command center to cancel the attack. In general, even though there is little information available about the work of the Perimeter, one thing is known for sure: the doomsday machine is not a myth at all – it does exist.
The commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Lieutenant-General Sergey Karakayev said five years ago in an interview with a Russian publication: “Yes, the “Perimeter” system exists. The system is on alert. If there’s a need for a retaliatory strike, the command for an attack may come from the system, not people,” the official said.
US experts analyzed the tactics and strategy of a nuclear attack on Russia. They acknowledged that the attack led to a massive nuclear exchange between the two countries that caused irreparable damage to the two states and claimed the lives of more than 400 million people.
Was ist schon eine Kanzlerkandidatin! In der Union gibt es einen Job, der viel besser ist: Spitzenkandidat der CSU. So könnte die Stellenanzeige aussehen.
Ja mei, natürlich hat die CSU auch dafür gestimmt: Angela Merkel ist die gemeinsame Kanzlerkandidatin der Unionsparteien. War klar, zur Chancenoptimierung.
Ansonsten bringt aber eine andere Personalie die Christsozialen in Wallung: die des eigenen Spitzenkandidaten zur Bundestagswahl. Auf den ersten Blick eine reine Wahlkampffunktion, halt der Mensch, der auf Platz 1 der CSU-Wahlliste steht. Aber wer es dorthin schafft, darf hinterher meist einen Schritt weiter. Wenn er Pech hat, wird er Minister. Mit ein bisschen Glück aber kann er CSU-Landesgruppenchef im Bundestag werden.
Was ist daran so toll? In der CSU gilt das Amt als der “zweitschönste Job der Welt”. Horst Seehofer, der den Posten nie innehatte, aber bayerischer Ministerpräsident ist (allerschönster Job – sorry, Franziskus), brachte es mal auf die knackige Formel: “Überall dabei, nirgends Verantwortung. Herrlich!”
Alexander Dobrindt ist derzeit als Spitzenkandidat im Gespräch. Selbstverständlich nur gerüchtehalber, neben Markus Söder, Joachim Herrmann oder Ilse Aigner. Oder Horst Seehofer höchstselbst.
Da stellt sich die Frage: Was muss man als Spitzenkandidat der CSU eigentlich machen? Außer da oben rumzustehen, auf der Liste? Wie sähe wohl eine Stellenbeschreibung aus? SPIEGEL ONLINE hat sich eine ausgedacht:
Die Christlich-Soziale Union (CSU) sucht zum nächstmöglichen Eintrittstermin einen
Spitzenkandidaten (m/w)
Sie sind gesellig, politisch interessiert und reden gern vor Publikum, ganz gleich ob am Stammtisch oder in der Dreifachturnhalle? Sie würden sich als sehr konservativ bezeichnen? Sie halten “Laptop und Lederhose” bis heute für ein spritziges Bonmot über den Charakter Bayerns?
Dann sind wir an Ihrer Arbeit interessiert! Wir, das ist die CSU, eine regional begrenzte Partei mit unbegrenztem Selbstbewusstsein.
Unsere Spitzenkandidaten sind vor allem der offenen Rede verpflichtet. Was leichtfällt, weil alles, was Sie verbreiten, nicht den Test einer politischen Umsetzung bestehen muss. Das bleibt auch so, sollten Sie als Spitzenkandidat Gebrauch machen von Ihrem Vorrecht auf eine Anschlussverwendung als CSU-Landesgruppenchef.
In erster Linie allerdings müssen Sie die Positionen der Partei vertreten, auch wenn die sich kurzfristig ändern. Das geschieht in der Regel auf Zuruf durch unseren Parteivorsitzenden Horst Seehofer.
Zu den Redeeinsätzen gehören Wahlkampfveranstaltungen jedweder Größe, Medieninterviews und Liveauftritte im Fernsehen. Schlagfertigkeit ist die Schlüsselqualifikation. Willkommen sind außerdem Bewerber, die Hochdeutsch mit leicht süddeutscher Einfärbung verbinden, sowie Mitglieder einer der christlichen Konfessionen. Wobei hier eine formelle Mitgliedschaft völlig ausreichend ist – christliche Werte dienen in unserer Partei lediglich der Brauchtumspflege.
Wir erwarten hohes zeitliches Engagement und Freude am Reisen. Alle Kosten einschließlich eines eigenen Büroapparats werden erstattet. Die Aufgabe selbst ist nicht eigens vergütet, aber offen für alle möglichen Nebeneinkünfte. Arbeitsort ist vorwiegend Berlin.
Wir empfehlen als Grundlage ein bereits bestehendes Landtags- oder Bundestagsmandat. Für die CSU, natürlich. Bitte kalkulieren Sie das theoretische Risiko mit ein, aus strategischen Erwägungen nach der Wahl unerwartet Minister zu werden.
Anders als Sie vielleicht gewohnt sind, werden Frauen bei gleicher Qualifikation nicht bevorzugt eingestellt. Wir freuen uns über Ihre ausschließlich mündliche Bewerbung im geschickt lancierten Vier-Augen-Gespräch.
Segundo a Polícia Judiciária, os suspeitos pertencem a uma “associação criminosa”
Três homens suspeitos de tentativa de homicídio de agentes da PSP, roubo a funcionário de empresa de segurança e associação criminosa, entre outros crimes, foram detidos pela Polícia Judiciária, informou hoje esta polícia.
Os detidos, com antecedentes criminais e que ficaram agora em prisão preventiva, pertencem a uma associação criminosa a que se imputa duas tentativas de homicídio de agentes da PSP, bem como um crime de roubo qualificado a funcionário de empresa de segurança, que integrava a tripulação de uma carrinha de transporte de valores, factos que ocorreram no interior das instalações do Continente do Barreiro, em Outubro de 2016.
No decorrer desta ação criminosa, já na fuga, existiu um confronto, com troca de tiros, com elementos da PSP, de que resultou a morte de um dos assaltantes e ferimentos graves num outro.
O trio agora detido pela Unidade Nacional Contra Terrorismo (UNCT) da PJ responde pelos crimes de associação criminosa, homicídio qualificado na forma tentada de agentes da autoridade, roubo qualificado a carrinha de transporte de valores, furto qualificado, falsificação de documentos, detenção de arma proibida.
Na altura, o grupo assaltou a superfície comercial cerca das 23:30, perto da hora de fecho. O primeiro carro patrulha a chegar ao local foi alvejado.
Os dois elementos policiais que chegaram em primeiro lugar ao local também sofreram ferimentos – um deles foi mesmo atropelado pelos suspeitos.
Os assaltantes atuaram com gorros, luvas e coletes à prova de bala, tendo a PSP recuperado uma pistola, um revólver, uma metralhadora e uma ‘shotgun’ utilizados no roubo.
La Fiscalía Anticorrupción ha solicitado este lunes 5 años de cárcel por un delito continuado de malversación de caudales públicos al expresidente del Govern, Jaume Matas, y otros 5 para el exconseller de Interior, José María Rodríguez, dentro de la subpieza separada numero tres del caso Over, una pieza perteneciente al caso Palma Arena.
En el redactado de acusación al que ha tenido camino Europa Press, se les denuncia de usar fondos públicos con el objetivo de “beneficiar” a la entidad mercantil Over Marketing, que fue la encargada de las campañas electorales del PP en los años 2003 y 2007.
Además de a Matas y a Rodríguez, los fiscales anticorrupción Pedro Horrach y Laura Pellón además solicitan la abertura de juicio oral ante la Audiencia Provincial al propietario de Over Marketing, Daniel Mercado, a quien le pide un año de cárcel, y a María Luisa de Miguel Oñate, como cooperadora necesaria, a quien le pide además 5 años.
TODA LA COMUNICACIÓN INSTITUCIONAL, EN SUS MANOS
En el texto de la Fiscalía se establece que Matas “ostentó durante la legislatura 2003-2007 un dominio directo sobre todo el sector de la comunicacion institucional” y que Rodríguez, en su fase de conseller de Interior, y siguiendo sus órdenes, acordó con Mercado abonarle cierta suma para tapar los gastos por los beneficios de propaganda y comunicacion en que había incurrido su clan empresarial en la campaña electoral fabricada para el PP en el 2003.
Según el escrito, “para dotar de una simulada apariencia de legalidad a la salida de dichos fondos públicos desde la Conselleria de Interior” Rodríguez convino con Mercado que este último “emitiría 2 facturas por importe inferior a 12.000 euros contra la Conselleria por unos conceptos propios de la version de la citada Conselleria”.
Por su parte, Rodríguez “se encargaría de simular la abertura de 2 procedimientos de contratos menores de beneficios en el seno de la Conselleria para poder proceder al abono de dichas facturas”, así como de dar las oportunas directrices a la secretaria general técnica de la Conselleria, De Miguel Oñate, “para que procediera a ordenar el pago de las correspondientes facturas”.
Con esto, Mercado emitió 2 facturas contra la Conselleria de Rodríguez, una de Over Marketing SL y otra de Link America SL sin embargo “ni Over Marketing ni Link America realizaron el servicio objeto de la factura citada”, resalta el fiscal.
CASO OVER
Así, el redactado de acusación muestra que el PP abonó “de forma opaca” mediante “sistemas desconocidos” un total de 181.031 euros al clan Over por diferentes beneficios de creatividad, planificación y artes finales.
A nivel general, el caso Over, que establece la pieza 27 del caso Palma Arena centra sus investigaciones en el supuesto de favor que habría recibido esta mercantil y en el hecho de que parte del dinero público que aceptó la compañia habría acabado en manos del PP balear, por lo que se indaga si se produjo una financiación ilegal del partido.
Es más, fue en la sede de Over donde, en el marco de los registros llevados a cabo durante la intervención policial del llamado caso Ibatur (en veranillo de 2010), donde los examinadores hallaron documentación que relacionaría varias de las actuaciones llevadas a cabo por el Ejecutivo de Matas con parte de los hechos investigados en la trama Gürtel.
There were 6,159 pipeline taps last year, up 791% over 2010
A potentially lucrative pipeline tap.
State oil company Pemex has lost an estimated 160 billion pesos (US $7.9 billion) in pipeline thefts during the last seven years, while the practice has become the second most profitable activity for drug cartels.
Just a decade ago, stealing fuel by tapping pipelines was an activity carried out by non-violent gangs that stole and sold locally, said a former director of the Center for Investigation and National Security (CISEN).
The problem grew “when drug trafficking organizations discovered that fuel theft was a profitable business,” said Guillermo Valdés.
“Violent drug cartels and local fuel thieves merged between 2011 and 2012,” at the same time that authorities started detecting an ever-increasing number of taps.
Pemex data confirmed Valdés’ assessment of the situation: 691 taps were detected in 2010, but one year later the figure shot up to 1,361.
The trend continued and in 2012, 1,635 clandestine taps were identified.
Despite the federal government’s fight against organized crime, continued Valdés, fuel theft kept increasing because while cartel bosses were being apprehended, criminal organizations fragmented instead of disappearing.
“What was left were gangs with experience not only in gasoline theft, but also in violence,” said Valdés, who added that these groups often found collaborators in nearby towns.
This resulted in the massive phenomenon being seen today, he said.
Last year, up until December 27, Pemex recorded 6,159 pipeline taps, a 791% increase over 2010.
In terms of stolen fuel, in 2010 the company lost 1.7 billion liters, a figure that last year totaled 2.3 billion.
Between 2009 and 2016, Pemex lost close to 15 billion liters of the different petroleum products it distributes through its pipeline network.
That’s the equivalent of 250 20,000-liter tanker trucks being stolen every day during that period of time.
The news website Animal Político made a conservative estimate of what those losses represent in pesos, concluding that the parastatal has lost close to 160 billion pesos in stolen fuel since 2009.
That’s as much as the Education Secretariat spent on scientific research and technological development during the same period.
Photo: Robert Shakespeare
Photo: Glenn Hunt
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