In an interview with Ana Mitila Lora and Rosa Encarnación for El Despertador, the morning Channel 9 TV news show, Mirna Ortiz, the coordinator of litigation for the Attorney General Office’s Specialized Administrative Corruption Prosecution Division (Pepca), explained the division is investigating over 700 corruption cases. Among these is what is known as Odebrecht 2.0.
“In regards to Odebrecht 2.0, although you do not hear of us, we are working, we are working like ants. We have received international cooperation not only from Brazil but from other countries. We are waiting for a committee in Brazil to receive us.”
She explained that her division has maintained constant communication, not only with the authorities of Brazil but also with other countries in which Odebrecht had an active participation in acts of corruption similar to those committed in the Dominican Republic. She mentioned the limitations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
On 15 October 2021, a first sentence in the case was issued by the First Collegiate Court of the National District that condemned Odebrecht business representative to eight years in prison for the US$90 million bribes case. Likewise, former Minister of Public Works Victor Diaz Rua was sentenced to five years in prison.
Ortiz mentioned cases of corruption in the past and this government, including those in the Ministry of Education and the Inabie procurement agency of the Ministry.
Ortiz said that past Presidents, mentioning former Presidents Danilo Medina, Leonel Fernandez and Hipolito Mejia, are not exempt from the investigations but that strong and clear evidence needs to be presented to incriminate a former statesman.
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