Questionable Spending and Secrecy in Agricultural Ministry

The Ministry of Agricultural, Rural, and Fisheries Development, led by Linda Saray Cobos Castro, has been criticized for serious deficiencies. These include issues with budgets intended to support vulnerable populations, which have not been addressed.

These shortcomings may stem from poor financial management, an inadequately drafted budget, or an attempt to justify fiscal expenditures. The accounting of the Ministry does not seem to align with their reported spending.

In 2024, the Ministry approved a budget of $3,598,400.00 to aid fishermen in nine out of 11 municipalities during the annual fishing ban season. This ban allows species to reproduce and affects 1,598 fishermen who usually catch species such as octopus, prawns, and snails. The beneficiaries were supposed to receive $2,640.00 each on a card for purchasing food and other necessities. However, the actual expenditure was $4,218,720.00, exceeding the initial amount by over 600,000 pesos.

There are also issues regarding the duration of the support. The prawn ban lasted only one month, but the aid was also intended to cover the octopus ban, which extended until the end of the year. If the aim was to cover the entire ban season, the single payment was insufficient for the five months some fishermen would be inactive. This discrepancy raises questions about whether the Ministry created false expectations about the extent of the support, or if they reallocated funds from other budget entries to cover the actual cost. Either way, the management of these resources has not been transparent or efficient.

The intention of the aid was to lessen the economic impact of the ban on fishermen, allowing them to maintain their income during the period, according to the Ministry.

Further concerns arise from the lack of clear procedures and standards for distributing public funds. Linda Saray Cobos Castro, the head of the Ministry, awarded three contracts for research into bovine tuberculosis in the state. This was part of a national campaign against the disease. However, the only two beneficiaries of these contracts received what could be considered a millionaire's salary. The first contract alone amounted to $3,150,000.00. The recipient of this "support" is unknown, and their only obligation was to describe the disease's potential impact on cattle. Another contract was also awarded, but the details of this remain unclear.