The local media continues to focus on gay rights activism by US Ambassador James Brewster in leading the US Embassy in the country. The Ambassador has maintained a high profile as a gay rights campaigner since his appointment to the post of ambassador in the Dominican Republic.
In Diario Libre editorial today, Monday 7 March 2016, Adriano Miguel Tejada comments on the latest controversy, rejecting speculation that the US Ambassador openly promoted the gay agenda during a recent visit to a school in Santiago. Tejada clarifies that the photograph of the US Ambassador and his husband at a public school was not taken during his most recent visit to the Instituto Iberia in Santiago. He said that the ambassador was invited to an event for high school seniors about the Model United Nations where he explained the negotiation process. Gay issues were not mentioned, writes Tejada. He points out, however, that the ambassador’s spouse accompanied him on the visit to the school.
Diario Libre reporters were recently banned from covering a Major League Baseball activity at the US Embassy reportedly at the ambassador’s instructions. The newspaper speculated it was because Diario Libre was the only publication to have printed a photo of the Ambassador, his husband and a group of male friends at a US Embassy pool party.
Another recent controversy was El Caribe headlining what it interpreted as US government support for LGBT candidates in the 2016 Dominican general elections based on a quote from USAID director Alexandra Panehal. El Caribe reports that US Embassy press attache Jeremiah King has denied that the US Embassy was funding any activities by gay politicians. In a clarification sent to the newspaper, the US Embassy press attache wrote: “…it is important to state categorically that the United States government does not fund any political party or any candidate in the current electoral process, whether in the Dominican Republic or any other place in the world.”
Panehal had been speaking at the recent NGLCC Summit held in Santo Domingo where the LGBT Chamber of Commerce was launched with support from USAID and the US Embassy, and the quote was:
“This group [LGBT] has the same rights as you. The Dominican Republic won a tender and we are funding some activities to strengthen the efforts of the LGBT community (…). For example, we are in an electoral campaign and there are some candidates, as you know, who represent Dominican citizens, including the members of the LGBT community, and also strengthening for Dominican organizations that represent the interests of the LGBT community in the Dominican Republic,”
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/03/04/jce-analizara-alcance-anuncio-usaid-sobre-financiar-candidatos
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2016/03/06/410536/las-injerencias-de-brewster
http://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/am/cuentas-claras-EL2951886
