The defense bar for former Minister of Hacienda Donald Guerrero confirmed the former minister has contracted the leading US lobby group, DCI Group. The defense denied the contracting was to discredit Dominican authorities and said they are consulting with the company. Guerrero is accused of a lead participation in a major scheme to defraud the Dominican government – the Calamar Case.
DCI Group is described as the top Republican lobby and public relations firm with offices in Washington, Brussels, and Houston.
Diario Libre reports that Guerrero would have reached an agreement with US lobbyist, former Republican legislator Connie Mack IV. Diario Libre reports that the strategic consulting agreement was signed by Axis Holdings, located in Puerto Rico in representation of Guerrero, and Liberty International Group LLL of Connie Mack, according to a document deposited with the US Department of Justice.
Diario Libre reported that as part of lobby efforts, on 13 June 2023 Mack sent a letter to newly appointed US chief of mission Isiah Parnell requesting an appointment to discuss “the illegal arrest of Donald Guerrero”. Copy of the letter was sent to Brian Nichols, deputy secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs; Todd Robinson, Deputy Secretary of the Office of International Drug Trafficking Affairs; and Katherine M.R. Beaber, director of the Caribbean Affairs Office of the US Department of State. Copies were also sent to the director of the USAID, Marcela Escobari and to Alexander Titolo, acting chief of mission of the US Embassy at the time.
The letter highlights that the government of President Luis Abinader has turned the Public Prosecution Agency into a vehicle used to penalize political opponents and compensate its allies, under the pretext of combatting administrative corruption.
Leidy Blanco for Participacion Ciudadana, the civic watchdog group, remarked on the contracting of DCI Group that this also shows how some of those charged in administrative corruption cases represent a danger due to the extensive economic power they have that can serve to hinder investigations in Dominican justice system.
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20 July 2023