The former executive vice president of the Dominican Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE), Cesar Sánchez, was questioned by the Attorney General concerning the bribes to government officials that the Brazilian company Odebrecht has admitted in a New York court to having payed to secure state contracts.
On his arrival for questioning, Sánchez explained to the media that although he had indeed signed the contract for the hydroelectricity works at Pinalito Dam for US$131.7 million, he insisted that no disbursements were made because the project would be carried out after the government of Hipolito Mejia had ended, a decision made by Mejía himself. He confirmed that that was the amount paid for the contract, even though Odebrecht submitted a proposal asking for significantly more money.
Andres Bautista, the acting president of the Revolutionary Modern Party (PRM), was also questioned because he was president of the Senate when several large construction projects were approved. Pinalito Dam was built from 2004-2009 at a cost to the Dominican government of US$300 million. He told the press: “I have nothing to do with Odebrecht nor any corruption case. He said he sat for questioning in his condition as past president of the Senate from 2001-2002, 2002-2003, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006.
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Diario Libre
El Nacional
24 January 2017
