Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez passed the baton in the investigation of corruption in the overpricing of public works enabled by bribes that Odebrecht has admitted to paying. The Attorney General says that the Chamber of Accounts is now the responsible agency to investigate potential overpricing of public works.
His office recently drafted an agreement that essentially pardons Odebrecht and its affiliates and partners in the Dominican Republic from corruption in the case of the bribes. The Attorney General has distanced himself from investigating the overpricing issues, delegating this to the Chamber of Accounts.
In the Dominican Republic the Chamber of Accounts has a track record of widespread lenience in dealing with corruption accusations of government officers.
Meanwhile, former district attorney and Al Pais presidential candidate, Guillermo Moreno comments in an opinion piece in Diario Libre on 24 April 2017 that the recent homologation agreement the Attorney General signed with Odebrecht excludes the company from being investigated for alleged financing of the presidential re-election campaign of President Danilo Medina in 2016, for purchasing the vote of legislators to modify the Constitution to allow for the consecutive re-election of Medina, and above all for the fraud committed against the Dominican Republic in overpricing of works obtained through bribes. Moreno says the agreement impedes the Dominican judiciary from trying Odebrecht in a penal court and thus the Brazilian firm will be able to continue operating here. Odebrecht’s largest contract is for the construction of the coal-fired Punta Catalina generation plant.
Moreno writes: “The levels of commitment of Danilo Medina with Odebrecht impede that his Attorney General present accusations against that company. It is clear: Danilo Medina is guaranteeing impunity to Odebrecht and the continuing of the construction of Punta Catalina in exchange for the company guaranteeing impunity to him.”
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
Diario Libre
24 April 2017
