Campaign manager for Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) presidential pre-candidate Abel Martínez, Francisco Javier García said on Tuesday, 28 March 2023 that he has never made comments directed at the Attorney General of the Republic, Miriam Germán, much less has he linked her to anything improper. On the contrary, the member of the Political Committee of the former ruling party says Germán Brito is a person who has all his appreciation and admiration.
He made the remarks after Germán Brito denied a statement Francisco Javier García would have made that the Legal Advisor Antoliano Peralta of the Executive Branch is frequently at the Attorney General’s Office. Germán Brito on Monday, 27 March 2023 would deny these statements saying that the last time she met personally with Peralta was in November 2022 when teams of the legal advisor office and the attorney general office met at the Attorney General Office.
Francisco Javier García denied he was referring to Germán Brito in his criticism of actions at the Attorney General Office. He said himself and the rest of the party leadership are great admirers of Germán Brito and that the judgment she has made of him will not cause him to change his opinion of her.
His statements were issued during a press conference held at the PLD National House on Tuesday, 28 March 2023.
When interviewed on Monday, 27 March 2023 during the El Dia/Telesistema (Channel 11) morning talk show, Francisco Javier García had stated: “Everything that the Public Ministry (prosecutors) does is shared with political sectors of the government through the liaison that the President has, that is the legal advisor of the Executive Branch,” he said on TV.
“It is not that he visits the Attorney General Offices. All legal advisors of the Executive Branch have permanently visited the Attorney General Office,” he said during the interview with Edith Febles. He accused Antoliano Peralta of being at the PGR giving instructions, last week.
Legal advisor Antoliano Peralta then tweeted that he did not believe what Francisco Javier Garcia had said.
To this Francisco Javier García asked if Antoliano Peralta had a twin, or a person that travels in the same vehicle. “If he does not have a twin, then last week he was at the PGR,” said Javier García.
Peralta denied this and said that when he goes to the PGR he does this publicly. He said he was at the rendition of accounts of Attorney General Miriam German at the state university, UASD early this year. He denied he was at the PGR offices last week, as Francisco Javier García has said. Peralta asked that Javier García produce a photo or video as proof of the visit.
Attorney General Miriam German responded that the last time she met with Antoliano Peralta was on 16 November 2022 for the presentation of the project of the justice department for 2023.
The PGR is carrying several major corruption cases affecting high-ranking members of the former PLD. Recently, a court was presented with a request for custody for around 20 persons in a fraud to the state for around RD$19 billion. Included are three former ministers of the Danilo Medina administration – Hacienda Minister Donald Guerrero; Administrative Minister of the Presidency Jose Ramon Peralta and Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo. In addition, Jose Ramón Peralta has been at the PGR to answer questions regarding irregularities regarding the Surprise Visits program of the Presidency. Gonzalo Castillo has been questioned for irregularities in asphalt purchasing. Donald Guerrero has also been questioned at the PGR on several occasions.
In her remarks after the statements by Francisco Javier García, Miriam Germán Brito stated:
“It is nonsense to want to muddy the work carried out by the Public Ministry with insinuations that seek to reduce the scope of these to the realm of politics.
“The cases that are being prosecuted are to the extent of evidentiary possibilities. I trust the judiciary will know how to comply with the laws on an equal footing with analogous assumptions to guarantee the purposes of the pre-trial custody measures,” stated Germán Brito.
She called for citizens to be vigilant to ensure that there is no impunity or preferential treatment. “However, we must take care of the ways to exercise this right to avoid situations that disturb the public order,” she stated. She called for the authorities to act with restraint, guaranteeing the rational use of the coercive means available to them, without excesses or abuses. “We cannot risk the democracy that has cost us so much,” she stated. She expressed her confidence that the judiciary will comply with what is established in the Constitution and Dominican laws.
Francisco Javier García is a former Minister of Tourism (2012-2020) during the Danilo Medina administration. On several occasions, he served as campaign manager for Leonel Fernandez and Danilo Medina.
Miriam Germán Brito is the exception to the normal practice of Presidents of the Republic naming high-ranking political party members to the position of Attorney General. Germán Brito’s last position before her appointment was presiding judge of the Supreme Court of Justice Penal Chamber.
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