No mention either of a corruption scandal involving the Mendoza Provincial Highway Directorate (Dirección Provincial de Vialidad, DPV), or of the dismissal of a number of Directorate officials, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

In a 23 April 2001 interview, the chief of human resources at the DPV stated that his organization had no record of Juan Buccolo ever being a Directorate employee. The chief further stated that an individual known as Luis Gutierrez had worked for the Directorate in the capacity of engineer until 14 May 1999 (ibid.). According to the chief, information regarding the circumstances under which Gutierrez left the DPV is not publicly available.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Dirección Provincial de Vialidad (DPV), Mendoza. 23 April 2001. Telephone interview with chief of human resources.

IRB databases.

Internet sites including:

Canal 9 Televida [Mendoza]. Sintesis de noticias. Aug. 2000-Apr. 2001.

Clarín [Buenos Aires]. 1999-2001.

Corrupción Argentina.

Corrupción Policial, Judicial y Política en la República Argentina.

Diario Los Andes [Mendoza]. Feb.-May; Sept. 2000-Apr. 2001.

Gobernación de Mendoza.

La Nación [Buenos Aires]. 1999-2001.