The government of the United States has revoked the B1 and B2 visas of former Mejia government officials and businessmen accused of defrauding the state of more than RD$1 billion through the Plan Renove transport program. The government contracted a US$159-million loan to finance the purchase of vehicles ostensibly to enhance the DR’s public transport service. Since its start, the program has been criticized for irregularities, and with the change of government the audit carried out by former Controller General Federico Lalane is serving as base for the case prepared by the Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito’s office.
The US authorities are justifying the cancellation of the travel documents citing the potential risk of flight, given the serious court cases pending, as reported in Hoy newspaper. The Listin Diario says that the decision is based on the 12 January proclamation issued by US President George Bush, whereby the US announced it would deny entry to the United States of corrupt foreign officials, their dependents and those who corrupt them. Listin Diario reported that the visas of the dependents of the accused have also been revoked.
El Caribe newspaper says that 11 visas were revoked of this group. Nevertheless, the list of the names was not released by the US Consulate.
Those who were formally accused of irregularities in connection with the program by the Attorney General office are the former administrative secretaries of the Presidency, Pedro Antonio Franco Badia and Siquio Ng de la Rosa and the former minister of the Armed Forces, Ramon Emilio Jimenez Reyes.
Others accused are the former director of the Oficina Metropolitana de Servicios de Autobuses (OMSA), Diogenes Castillo; former supplier to the government, Johnny Morales; and transport entrepreneur and head of transport for the PRD party, Antonio Marte (Conatra).
On the list also is Fabio Ruiz, the former president of Renove; Milciades Amaro Guzman, a businessman and former treasurer of Renove; Gervasio de la Rosa, Francisco Perez Castillo and Angel Rondon Rijo. Another listed in the case presented to the Attorney General’s office is Sam Goodson, the president of the Miami-based Hyundai Vehicles American Corporation, and whose extradition from the US is being sought by the attorney general.