Chile: Land Bought For Up To Three Times Its Value with Public Money
<p style="text-align: justify;"> The number comes after a citizen complaint made by the Comptroller of that country. The Watchdog investigated and found that an Aboriginal community, beneficiaries of a a national subsidy, arranged with landowners overpayment. In addition, they acquired land that was not recommended by different technical studies. The case could be brought to justice.</p>
The truth is that there were several buildings that not only met the requirements but significant premiums were paid for them. One of the most serious cases is that of a land whose purchase was "not recommended" because "access was through the neighboring property and it was not habitable." The place was priced at 2.5 million Chilean pesos to which must be added a tax assessment for property tax of $838 thousand.
As another case published previously by The Auditor.info, this situation was denounced by a Chilean citizen in the Comptroller General of the Republic, with the express request that their identity be reserved.
However, as stated in the memorandum of agreement negotiation of the land, "the indigenous community Antonio Aníñir agreed with the seller, Guido Gonzalez Abide, a payment of 12 million Chilean pesos for the land, clearing one of the footnotes that the parties are aware of the appraisal made by a consulting firm and that the beneficiaries assume the hike up."
The community in question received the sum of $ 504 million Chilean pesos ($ 909.929), with which it made this purchase, for being one of the beneficiaries of the 13th Contest Grant Land Acquisition for the indigenous, CONADI. "In the budget law it is scheduled the Land and Water Fund intended to provide a subsidy when the surface of an Aboriginal community is insufficient, upon application and approval of the National Director of the Corporation."
Importantly CONADI "is responsible for managing the money and monitoring both the use of funds as the purpose for which they are intended."
But the irregularities detected by the Comptroller of Chile continue. There was another farm land according to the report "purchase that was not recommended because of land access that made it impossible for any vehicle to enter during the winter, the ground was forested and was not habitable." Its appraisal was $19 million Chilean pesos but the indigenous community "agreed with their dealer a premium to the value of the property, which increased to 48 million."
Another lot, also of difficult access, with forest soil without a perimeter fence valued at nearly 17 million Chilean pesos, with a land tax of nearly 3 million was finally paid for 36 million "under explicit agreement for the payment of a premium."
The report of the Comptroller detailed acquisitions with similar situations. Faced with this chaos, and considering that "the Indian community Antonio Aníñir bought land that was not recommended and with a selling price that exceeded the real costs, in most cases, 100% of appraisals were made by the consulting firm" the Watchdog decided "to initiate an administrative inquiry to establish responsibility if the damage to the treasury is determined."
Moreover, "it will report to the ordinary courts of the land acquisition that do not comply with the technical recommendations." It will do the same with all CONADI officials who have been aware of the irregularities.