Gonzalo Castillo questions changes to the Penal Code and warns of a lack of consensus on the project

Santo Domingo.- Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) leader, Gonzalo Castillo, questioned the discussion process of the Penal Code bill and stated that the initiative has been modified in its final stage without a broad agreement among the different sectors of society.

Through a message posted on the social network X, the former Minister of Public Works rejected claims that the legislative piece has a generalized consensus and expressed concern about some aspects that remain in the project.

Among the points highlighted by Castillo is the application of prison sentences for cases related to defamation when they involve public officials or issues considered to be of general interest.

The political leader maintained that freedom of expression and the citizen’s right to oversee public management must be taken into account within the legislative debate, considering that these elements are part of democratic strengthening.

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Castillo indicated that the process of discussing the Penal Code has generated a broad national debate and stated that this scenario may have been used to introduce last-minute modifications to the text currently under analysis.

Likewise, he stated that a reform of this importance requires an open dialogue between legislators, specialists, social organizations, and the sectors that could be impacted by the implementation of the new regulations.

The Penal Code project continues to be a subject of analysis and debate in the country, due to the changes it proposes regarding current legislation and the different positions that have emerged regarding its content.