Coinciding with a new investigation into corruption at the Ministry of Public Works under his administration, Gonzalo Castillo celebrated his 59th birthday at a 19 November 2019 meeting of the Dominican Liberation Party’s (PLD) Political Committee. Gonzalo Castillo was born on 20 November 1960 in southwestern Barahona. He cut his cake on with 32 members attending the committee meeting.
On Monday, 18 November 2019, investigative journalist Alicia Ortega released a comprehensive report with findings of irregularities in contracts for asphalt paving from April to September 2019. She reported that many of the companies receiving millionaire contracts had their offices in the same building where the former Public Works Minister has his own companies.
The report by Ortega is the third that hits the media with evidence of corruption at the Ministry of Public Works. Castillo was the minister of Public Works from 2012 until he resigned to be the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) presidential candidate in the 6 October 2019 primary. Previous reports were those of journalist Marino Zapete and Somos Pueblo online portal. Castillo has not presented evidence to disprove the evidence presented by the news channels. In a statement to the press, he said that everything he did at the Ministry of Public Works was legal.
For the occasion, Somos Pueblo online news service submitted a corruption claim against him at the governmental Administrative Corruption Prosecution Office (Pepca).
Follow the story in Spanish:
Diario Libre
Listin Diario
YouTube _ El Informe de Alicia Ortega
YouTube – Noticias SIN
YouTube – El Jarabe – Marino Zapete
YouTube – El Jarabe – Marino Zapete
21 November 2019