Yesterday?s List?n Diario carried the front-page request of Cardinal Nicol?s de Jes?s L?pez Rodr?guez that all degenerate sex-tourists be thrown out of the country in order to avoid the corruption of Dominican youth. In his weekly television show, the cardinal said that these tourists were taking advantage of the poor in order to ?satisfy their perversions?. In many of today?s newspapers, the Cardinal?s statement found support with the immigration authorities and the hotel and restaurant association, Asonahores. Eduardo Villanueva, the vice-president of ASONAHORES, told reporters from the List?n Diario that his organization backs the Cardinal and he expressed his opinion that the best way to combat this type of tourism is to publicize the Dominican laws against child abuse in every available type of media. ?Any tourist in violation of these laws should be punished as harshly as allowed by law,? said Villanueva. The hotel executive also said that his organization is working with UNICEF in a program called ?In the Dominican Republic, we protect our treasures?.
?We have deported dozens of foreigners who have violated Dominican laws?, said Miguel V?squez, the head of the Immigration Department, as he told the press that his department is in full support of the Cardinal and his opinions. In his closing remarks, V?squez said that his office supports family tourism, but he knows there are instruments to promote other types of tourism.