San Miguelito Mayor Admits Boyfriend's Ties to Waste Company

The dispute over waste collection in the San Miguelito district continues, but no one has been more affected than the mayor of San Miguelito, Irma Hernández. Trying to clarify the issue, she only made it worse by admitting that her 'boyfriend' has ties to the environmental consulting firm hired by the Municipality. Waste collection in the San Miguelito district is currently handled by the Panama Urban and Domestic Cleaning Authority (AAUD) to prevent a health crisis while a new tender is being prepared. Although the Municipality was initially somewhat reluctant to the Executive's decision, as it was not informed beforehand of its national announcement, it agreed to work with the AAUD to safeguard the health of residents. The mayor mentioned that she is being threatened with the leakage of this information; therefore, she decided to make it public, as she 'has nothing to hide'. Hernández stated that her relationship with the person in question began after he ended his work at the said company; therefore, there was no conflict of interest, as some point out. The Executive manages a budget fund of $594,371.94 to address the garbage crisis in San Miguelito. 'My boyfriend is a relative of the leader of the environmental consulting firm that the Municipality hired,' she affirmed. Additionally, the company obtained the contract through its participation in the public tender and compliance with the requested requirements. According to the entity, between 400 and 450 tons of waste are collected daily in the area, so the presence of compactors and operating hours has been increased. 'I have no reason to hide it, it doesn't scare me, and if you think you are going to threaten me and intimidate me, you will not succeed because I am not like you,' she emphasized.