José Julio Neira, the Secretary of Public Integrity and head of the National Public Procurement Service (Sercop), disclosed that recent audits conducted on contracts relating to the municipal company Segura EP uncovered various irregularities. Consequently, a prospective security contract worth approximately $17 million, previously awarded in December 2025, has been put on hold pending technical and legal review. Neira emphasized that these inspections are based on the Public Procurement Law, which empowers officials to conduct in-depth checks to ensure contractor compliance with contractual specifications.

In his interview with Teleamazonas, Neira elaborated on the nature of these inspections, indicating they aim to verify that contractors meet the legal and technical requirements mandated in their agreements. The inspections were triggered by alerts concerning possible non-compliance within the awarded contracts. Among the key irregularities identified, there are significant issues related to the use of firearms and adherence to mandatory obligations, which, according to Neira, necessitate immediate scrutiny to uphold the integrity of public procurement processes.

This situation underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in public contracting in Ecuador, particularly in light of ongoing concerns regarding misuse of public funds. The ongoing review aims to ensure that the community's financial resources are managed responsibly while addressing potential failings within the contracting system of municipal services. This incident reflects a growing trend among public institutions to rigorously enforce compliance and conduct audits to safeguard public trust and resources against mismanagement.