President Luis Abinader summoned for this Friday, 21 May 2021, the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM) to start the assessments and appoint the new regular and alternate judges of the Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE). The announcement comes after magistrates at the court have protested actions by the interim director, Marcos Cruz. The first alternate, Cruz was appointed after TSE president Román Jáquez was named to direct the Central Electoral Board (JCE).
The first CNM session is scheduled to take place on Friday, 21 May 2021 at 6pm at the Presidential Palace.
Participación Ciudadana, the civic watchdog organization, had urged the President to convene the council to replace the alternate director. PC said that four of the five members of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), magistrates Rafaelina Peralta, Ramón Arístides Madera, Santiago Sosa and Cristian Perdomo, say the interim president of the TSE, magistrate Marcos Cruz García, has turned the entity into a one-man court.
According to Participación Ciudadana, the situation arises even though Law 29-11 provides that the plenary is the highest instance, with competence to establish all policies, including financial matters. The judges say that magistrate Cruz García has unilaterally made decisions without informing the plenary and without the approval of the other members of the organization since taking office.
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Diario Libre
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Diario Libre
20 May 2021