The National Customs Authority (ANA) has proceeded to dismiss more than 200 officials in the last few months, in an effort to purge the institution and guarantee its proper functioning. Of these dismissals, some have been motivated by alleged links to corruption cases, while others have been given due to lack of suitability for the positions. The general director of the entity, Soraya Valdivieso, emphasized that the dismissals are not due to political reasons, but have responded to technical and suitability criteria. In this sense, Valdivieso highlighted that officials with technical studies or bachelor's degrees, regardless of the government under which they were hired, have been respected and their cases evaluated based on their competence. The director pointed out that, over the last 15 years, hiring within the institution was handled under a political criterion, which has changed with the current administration. "Customs is a technical institution in charge of raising funds and ensuring the cargo in the country, and within that framework, decisions are made," she expressed. Regarding corruption cases, Valdivieso reiterated that ANA's policy is "zero tolerance", emphasizing that "whoever does it, pays for it immediately." As part of her commitment to transparency and the fight against corruption, the director revealed that several files have been referred to the Public Ministry, in collaboration with other security entities.
