Participants attending the 29th World Law Congress in Santo Domingo addressed key issues impacting the Dominican Republic. President Luis Abinader and the King of Spain, Felipe VI will participate in the closing of the Congress on 6 May 2025. Some 300 panelists from more than 70 countries are participating in the event.
Héctor Schamis, advisor to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), lamented in his remarks during the World Law Congress held in Santo Domingo that the fight against international organized crime is not considered a global priority, despite it being “an unparalleled industry and a hub of operations that states struggle to compete with.”
He noted that the world currently faces multiple challenges, particularly bilateral ones, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and other issues, which obscure the clear view that the greatest global challenge is the battle against criminal structures.
“When you have small countries like Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and other nations in the region or Central America, and you need to allocate a significant portion of your budget daily to education and health, the governments need to dedicate funds to fight criminal structures, yet are impacted by bribes that corrupt justice,” Schamis stated. “Thus, the fight is uneven,” he commented in his participation.
In another presentation, the president of the Constitutional Court of Spain, Candido Conde-Pumpido addressed the case of government officials not complying with the orders issued by the last resort court. Conde-Pumpido highlighted the importance of enforcing Constitutional Court judgments.
Speaking at a panel during the 29th World Law Congress on Monday, 5 May 2025, Conde-Pumpido emphasized that in states where court sentences are not executed, justice becomes a mere utopia. He explained that the sword carried by the goddess of justice symbolizes “strength,” which is the ability to enforce justice effectively. “Strength without justice would be tyranny, but justice without strength is pure utopia,” he stressed.
He made his remarks at a time when around 80 judgments of the Dominican Constitutional Court have been ignored by Dominican government officials.
Conde-Pumpido also highlighted the TC’s authority to remove officials from office. He cited examples of consequences for defying the court’s decisions, including fines and potential removal from public office for both citizens and politicians. This underscores the critical importance of judicial enforcement in maintaining a functional justice system.
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DR1 News
6 May 2025