A recent investigation carried out by investigative journalist Nuria Piera lists eight Dominican deputies, representing three political parties in the 190-member Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the National Congress. The political parties are the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), the People’s Force (FP) of former President Leonel Fernandez and the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD).
The legislators identified with commercial ties to the “bancas” are:
- Eduard Espiritusanto Castillo is the owner of the Consorcio de Bancas Eduard. He is a deputy for La Romana, representing the Fuerza del Pueblo (FP).
- Domingo Eusebio de León Mascaro is the owner of Bancas La Solución and partner of LOTEKA. He is a deputy for the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) in Santo Domingo. He is a member of the Permanent Committee on the Economy, Planning and Development.
- Juan Carlos Echavarría Milané is the owner of the Bancas Joselito consortium. He is a deputy for the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) for Santo Domingo and is a member of the Permanent Sports, Physical Education and Recreation Committee.
- Carlos José Gil Rodríguez is the owner of the bancas La Dinámica consortium. He is a deputy for the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) for Santo Domingo province. He presides the Permanent Committee for Government Modernization and Reforms and is part of the Permanent Social Security Committee.
- Manuel Miguel Florián Terrero is the president of the Consorcio de Bancas Los Mellizos and is a deputy for the Partido Revolucionario Moderno (PRM) in Barahona. Diario Libre had reported that Florián Terrero is the owner of Consorcio de Bancas M&M.
- Melvin Alexis Lara Melo is the owner of Alex Lara betting shops. He is a deputy for Santo Domingo province for the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM). He is a member of the Education and Permanent Committee for Sports, Physical Education and Recreation. A story in Diario Libre also reported Lara Melo is the owner of Lotedom betting company.
- Orlando Antonio Martínez Peña is the owner of Bancas OM. He is a deputy in his second term for the province of Monseñor Nouel for the Partido Revolucionario Moderno (PRM). He is a member of the Chamber of Accounts and Industry and Commerce committees.
- Alexander Javier Cuevas is the owner of the Alex Sport Lottery seats and deputy for Santo Domingo for the Partido Revolucionario Moderno (PRM). He participates in the Human Rights, Human Development and Sports, Physical Education and Recreation Committee.
The current general manager of the government owned National Lottery, Teófilo “Quico” Tabar, commented on the duality of roles. “It is not that they are deputies who have become gambling company operators. It is the other way around. These are deputies who were first gambling entrepreneurs.”
At the start of the new 2020-2024 legislature, Diario Libre had reported that congressmen who own lottery businesses are the former senator for San José de Ocoa for the Bloque Institucional Social Demócrata (BIS), Pedro Alegría, of the Lotería Electrónica Internacional Dominicana S.A. (Leidsa). Also, the former senator of Santiago Rodríguez for the PLD, Antonio de Jesús Cruz Torres, of the Consorcio de Bancas Antonio Cruz, who had served three terms as legislator.
Also, former PRM deputy Francisco Santos Sosa, from the province of Santiago, is the owner of the Bancas Nave consortium. Luis Alberto Tejeda Pimentel, who ran for mayor of Santo Domingo East for the PLD and lost in the elections, is the president of the “La Soñadora” bank consortium.
Diario Libre had also reported that Luis Manuel Henríquez Beato, PLD deputy for the province of Santo Domingo, was general assistant to the late mayor Juan de los Santos, in the city council of Santo Domingo East. The newspaper reported that Henríquez Beato is also dedicated to the betting business.
Government complicity with betting businesses has resulted in the installing of more than 100,000 gambling business nationwide in low income and affluent neighborhoods, most without official permits.
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N Digital
N Digital
21 March 2022