"I am absolutely convinced that I have not done anything irregular, strange or punishable." The manager of Canal Gestión Lanzarote, Gerardo Díaz, referred this Monday to his recent arrest in the Tosca operation for alleged irregularities during his time at the head of Hispanagua. Although he has stated that his "assessments have to be very careful" because the proceedings are "under seal", Díaz has reiterated on multiple occasions his "absolute tranquility" in this regard.
Díaz has stated that he is "convinced" that he has not done "anything wrong". "I am looking forward to the judge from Melilla summoning me to testify, because I suppose that will mean that someone at some point will clarify this whole story," added the manager of Canal Gestión.
"We don't know very well yet why we are charged, they haven't told us," he said about the alleged crimes being investigated in the case opened against him and four other people who work or had worked for Hispanagua, when this company received large contracts in Melilla. "They are very generic charges of a series of issues that I would prefer not to give many details about because I don't know if I can give them or not," the manager of Canal Gestión Lanzarote pointed out later, after questions from the press.
In the case, in which businessmen and politicians and officials from Melilla were arrested, crimes of embezzlement, fraud, bribery, prevarication and disclosure of secrets are being investigated.
He is not considering leaving his position in Lanzarote
Asked if he has ever considered leaving the management of Canal Gestión as a result of this indictment, Díaz replied emphatically: "No, no, no." The manager has stated that he has "obviously" had "some conversations" with the president of Canal de Isabel II about it, but assures that "no one has questioned it."
"From the absolute conviction that I have nothing to hide, I don't think I'm going to consider that," he insisted. In addition, in this regard, he emphasized that the indictment "is absolutely outside the management of Lanzarote, absolutely outside the management of Canal."
Gerardo Díaz was arrested on February 17 within the framework of Operation Tosca, developed by the UCO. The searches carried out in February 2014 by this unit in various companies, including the headquarters of Hispanagua in Madrid, led to the arrest of Díaz in Lanzarote and 14 other people in Melilla, Madrid and Málaga. "After analyzing the documentation seized in those last searches, the existence of several people who fraudulently managed public funds in collusion with officials, public officials and managers of different companies was detected, vitiating contracting processes and pursuing personal or business interests instead of the general interest," the Civil Guard explained in a statement at the time.
The day after his arrest, the manager of Canal Gestión Lanzarote was released on charges, after testifying in the Arrecife Duty Court. Now, he is waiting to be summoned by the Melilla Court that is investigating the case.
