Former official José Luis Bustamante convicted in Argentina

José Luis Bustamante, the former Secretary of Public Works for the municipality of Federal, has been convicted of embezzlement of goods and services. The verdict, delivered by the Court of Trials and Appeals of Concordia, sentenced Bustamante to two years of conditional imprisonment.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed absolute and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. Bustamante was found responsible for using municipal resources, including machinery, materials, and personnel, to carry out private construction work on a property belonging to his son.

The court also ordered the former official to repay the economic damage caused to the municipality. The amount, which was initially estimated at over 531,000 pesos, must be updated to current values and paid within 30 days of notification. Alicia Oviedo, the current Mayor of Federal, praised the ruling, stating that 'no one is above the law.'