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The Public Administration Ministry (SFP) banned Cyber Robotics Solutions , a company founded by León Manuel Bartlett Álvarez, from working with the Mexican government for 18 months. The company was also slapped with an MXN 887,000 fine.
León Manuel Bartlett, the son of CFE director Manuel Bartlett, recently came under fire after his company sold overpriced and outdated ventilators to the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
The sanctions correspond to a contract signed with the IMSS in October 2019, where it was established that Cyber Robotics Solutions would supply medical equipment to a hospital in Mexico City.
According to official documents, Bartlett’s company provided false information in the contract.
Recommended: The Mexican government directly awarded several contracts to Manuel Bartlett's son
The Public Administration Ministry had previously sanctioned Cyber Robotics Solutions after media reports revealed the IMSS Hidalgo purchased 20 ventilators for MXN 31 million amid the pandemic.
In this case, the SFP banned the company from working for the government for 24 and 27 months. It also fined León Bartlett ’s company with over MXN 2 million. Nevertheless, Cyber Robotic Solutions contested the decision, and the sanctions were temporarily halted by the Administrative Justice Tribunal (TFJA).
The government removes the officials involved in the ventilators purchase
IMSS official Claudia Díaz Pérez and the other three IMSS officials were temporarily removed from their positions, as they participated in the purchase of several ventilators from Cyber Robotic Solutions, a company owned by León Bartlett, the son of CFE director Manuel Bartlett
Amid, the COVID-19 pandemic, the IMSS in Hidalgo purchased 20 ventilators from Cyber Robotic Solutions; however, the equipment didn’t meet quality standards, and the IMSS didn’t finalize the purchase.
After the purchase, authorities launched an investigation against Claudia Díaz Pérez, Luis Alberto Camargo Cervantes, Francisco Villeda, and Edgar Aarón Hernández Torres.
Recommended: The IMSS returns 20 ventilators to León Bartlett's company because the equipment didn't meet quality standards
The officials will receive 30% of their salary while authorities continue to investigate the purchase.
IMSS authorities argue they purchased the ventilators from León Bartlett’s company because it didn’t request a down payment, and it would quickly deliver the equipment; however, it was later revealed that the ventilators were overpriced.
When questioned about the case, Díaz Pérez said the IMSS wasn’t aware Cyber Robotic Solutions was owned by Manuel Bartlett's son.
The government directly awarded several contracts to Manuel Bartlett's son
On May 3, journalist Carlos Loret de Mola revealed a company owned by León Manuel Bartlett was awarded at least 7 government contracts worth MXN 162 million.
On April 30, Cyber Robotics signed a contract with the ISSSTE for MXN 94.4 million, without a tender, to provide ultrasound equipment. Moreover, there are another two contracts awarded without a tender for MXN 275,000 and MXN 65,000.
Additionally, León Bartlett was awarded a Sedena contract, without a tender, for MXN 23.4 million and which entered into force on January 1.
Cyber Robotics obtained another direct contract with the Mexican navy for MXN 4.9 million.
Furthermore, Bartlett’s company signed another two contracts with the IMSS for MXN 8.2 million and MXN 31 million.
However, Loret de Mola emphasized that there is no evidence of irregularities in the contracts awarded to the son of CFE director; nevertheless, it is unusual that all the contracts were directly awarded to León Bartlett, not through a tender.
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