Francisco Peña clarifies that permission to travel abroad had already been approved previously

The mayor of Santo Domingo Oeste, Francisco Peña, stated that the authorization granted by the Council of Councilors to be absent from the country does not correspond to a new provision, but rather to the renewal of a permit that, as he explained, had already been granted on a previous occasion.

Peña pointed out that the Council approved a resolution in 2025 with a one-year validity that allowed him to make official trips abroad. Upon that term expiring last May, he said it was necessary to process a new authorization.

The mayor maintained that the controversy generated around the issue is due to a mistaken interpretation of the content of the resolution and assured that the procedure conforms to the administrative rules of the council.

Likewise, he explained that this type of authorization has been used in previous administrations to facilitate the participation of mayors in official activities and commitments outside the country, without having to request a permit each time they need to travel.

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The municipal executive’s statements come after the approval of the resolution sparked questions from various sectors, some of which interpreted it as an indefinite authorization.

Faced with those criticisms, Peña reiterated that the document only renews a previously existing permit and denied that it represents an extraordinary or permanent power to leave the country.