​Odebrecht case update: a bigger than expected deceive

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - In Brief 10 Jun 2018 by Pavel Isa

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A year and a half after investigations into the million-dollar bribes of Odebrecht in the Dominican Republic was launched, the Attorney General's Office filed formal accusations. Few expected an impartial and fair investigation because the Attorney General is a political subordinate of President Medina, and it was perceived that the main objective would be to protect him. But the results just announced have been much more disappointing than most expected and have been widely described by the public as a mockery. After 18 months of investigations: - The number of accused is reduced by half; It was reduced from 14 to 7. - The three politicians with the highest political profile are excluded from the indictment: the three members of the PLD's all-powerful Political Committee. - In a move many suspect as politically motivated, Jesús Vásquez, current General Secretary of the PRM, which is the main opposition party, was indicted. - Of the seven defendants, only two are important figures of the PLD. - Of the seven defendants, three were linked to the last government of the PRD when Hipólito Mejía was President. Two of them were presidents of the Senate and are currently President and Secretary General of the PRM (opposition), including Vásquez. - No audit of the works executed under contract by Odebrecht was conducted, so no charges were filed related to overpricing practices. - Not a single official of the Medina Administration was indicted. - No charges whatsoever were filed with respect to the Punta Catalina plants project, the largest investment project ever built in the country; the project was awarded, and it’s currently being executed by Odebrecht. - No charges were fi...