Secretary of Communication Doubled as Alcohol Supplier

Secretary of Communication Alfredo Prieto is not only in charge of public relations and media for the Presidency but also supplied its alcohol.

Official documents reveal that his company Nevis Island, known by its La Fiesta liquor store on the corner of Via Argentina, directly supplied whisky, wine, vodka, rum, seco and beer to the government from August to November of last year for $13,540.

Among the purchases were 27 bottles of Vega Sicilia Unico at a cost of $387 per bottle.  Fewer than 7,000 cases of Unico are produced each year on average, and individuals and even retailers and restaurants in Spain must add their names to a 5,000-person waiting list to become eligible for an annual allotment of the wine, the Wall Street journal reported. Word on the street is that President Martinelli likes Johnny Walker Blue Label, listed as $194.99 a bottle.

According to the public registry, Prieto was on the board as President of the company until December 2, 2009.   The issue is that Nevis Island was contracted directly without public bidding to find the lowest price.

“I know that they called me one time because they were short for an activity of a foreign delegation,” Prieto said. “I just told them to call the office at La Fiesta because I have a delivery service until midnight, but I don’t even go there anymore.”

La Prensa Reports.