MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Central Bank scandal

The most trusted secretary of Chile's Central Bank president and her lover a Santiago stock exchange broker, were sentenced to jail on several accounts of bribery, fraud and violation of electronic data secrecy.

Former secretary Pamela Andrada had access to Chile's Central Bank president computer with highly sensitive and confidential information which she passed on to her lover Enzo Bertinelli who worked for one of Santiago's main stock exchange brokerage.

Both underwent individual and joint questioning during several hours and now face jail sentences of up to three years. Ms. Andrada is currently undergoing psychiatric assistance.

So far nor the president of Chilean Central Bank president Carlos Massad nor the Lagos administration have made any public assessment of damages besides saying it's a judicial matter. However the loss or rather the leakage of information previous to the discovery of the culprits, had the Chilean banking and political systems quiet concerned and will demand an improved security system to ensure the bank' reputation.

The Central Bank scandal follows a number of corruption claims against several Chilean Deputies from the President Lagos ruling coalition who have been stripped of their legislative immunity, and the unveiling of a network system of bribes in the Ministry of Public Works that has sent several former high officials and a former minister to jail.

The former Minister belongs to the same (Socialist) party as president Ricardo Lagos and defence has argued that the payback system is a long established practice in Chilean politics to help finance political campaigns.

Given the geography of Chile the Public Works Ministry is a privileged receiver of public funds from the national budget and an excellent spotlight for high office hopefuls.

Guess who was head of the Ministry of Public Works in one of the previous governments of the ruling coalition?