“Justice must be equal for all”: Raquel Arbaje speaks out on the Pumarol case

Santo Domingo.– The First Lady of the Republic, Raquel Arbaje, reacted to the decision of the Tenth Instruction Court of the National District, which issued a dismissal in favor of Jean André Pumarol, by stating that “justice must be equal for all”.

Arbaje’s statement came after she commented on an Instagram post made by Ivonne Handal, a relative of one of the fatal victims of the attack that occurred in the Naco district, where the user expressed her disagreement with the judicial decision.

In her message, the first lady endorsed the importance of the judicial system guaranteeing equality for all people, amidst the reactions generated by the ruling that prevented Pumarol from being sent to a full trial for the events that occurred on April 4, 2024.

Handal expressed his disagreement with the resolution and reiterated his family’s demand for the case to continue in the courts, considering it necessary for the circumstances of the event to be known and for responsibilities to be established.

The court’s decision has sparked diverse opinions in society, due to the repercussions of the case and the impact of the attack that occurred in the Naco expansion, which left fatalities and generated concern among residents of that area of the National District.

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The no-grounds order implies that, at this stage of the process, the defendant will not be sent to a substantive trial, a decision that may be subject to the appeals established by Dominican legislation.

While the victims’ families maintain their stance of continuing to demand justice, the case remains under public attention due to the judicial and social implications it has generated.