Highlights that significant challenges still persist in the fight against corruption in the Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo.- The general coordinator of Participación Ciudadana, Lady Blanco, urged Dominican society to remain attentive to the development of the trial on the merits of the Calamar case, considering that this stage will be decisive in evaluating the justice system’s ability to confront large-scale corruption cases.
Referring to the decision that granted a no-grounds ruling to Gonzalo Castillo and José Ramón Peralta, Blanco pointed out that, although there are advances that must be recognized, these remain partial because the case involves a broader framework. In that sense, he considered the Public Prosecutor’s intention to appeal to be legitimate.
“There are important advances that must be recognized and that are real advances, but they are partial advances,” expressed the representative of the civic organization, while stressing that the fight against corruption continues to face significant challenges in the country.
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Blanco indicated that this type of decision raises questions about the preparation of case files and the criteria that influence court decisions. However, he stated that the process continues to move forward, as the majority of the defendants will continue to face justice.
The leader of Participación Ciudadana valued that the main defendant and a large part of those involved remain within the judicial process, which is why she insisted on the need for citizens to follow the trial on the merits. “As a Dominican society, we have to be very attentive to what happens now in the corruption trial,” she stated.
His statements come amid the reactions generated by the recent judicial decision in the Calamar case, whose defendants were part of an alleged structure that reportedly caused an economic loss to the State of over RD$41 billion.
Judge Altagracia Ramírez, of the Fourth Instruction Court, sent former Minister of Finance, Donald Guerrero, and other defendants to trial. The prosecuting body accuses them of serious crimes including criminal association, embezzlement, coalition of officials, forgery of documents, bribery, money laundering, and illicit campaign financing.
