In recent weeks, investigative journalist Alicia Ortega has been reminding the nation that the Dominican justice has yet to match names in code to people regarding Odebrecht construction works in the Dominican Republic. The new evidence of corruption was disclosed in 2019 but the Dominican justice at the time did not act on the new findings. Now, the case is being referred to locally as Odebrecht 2.0.
Alicia Ortega is the Dominican participant in the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists on Corruption that has been looking into matters such as Odebrecht contracting.
Now the Attorney General Office (PGR) says it has plans to meet with its colleagues in Brazil in search of evidence for the Odebrecht 2.0 case. Prosecutor Rodolfo Espiñeira has been appointed to continue the investigation. He said on 28 October a meeting is scheduled to advance on the deciphering of the code names. He said the deciphering is key to continuing the case. “We are making a serious effort to determine if there is something that can still be prosecuted because there are people with code names (codinomes) that we could suspect who they are, but to implement a file and to submit them to justice we have to confirm these, to have evidence against them,” he said.
He explained that since Attorney General Miriam Germán Brito took office, the PGR has been in contact with the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office of Brazil, specifically with the prosecutors of the area of international cooperation, in proceedings on the Odebrecht case.
“Until now those contacts have been virtual due to the covid-19 pandemic. The last meeting was on 27 May and next Thursday (28 October) we will have another one to start specifying the aspects in which we want to cooperate,” he added.
He said that Odebrecht is obliged, through the agreement signed with the PGR, to share documentation on the case as is required.
Espiñeira highlighted the two rulings that were issued in Brazilian courts in favor of the country and which oblige the construction company to finish paying the US$184 million of compensation, to which it committed through the leniency agreement. He explained that of this debt, Odebrecht has only paid US$60 million and that, after declaring bankruptcy, it tried to avoid the remaining US$124 million, arguing in court that it was a commercial debt.
He reported that in the first instance the Brazilian court ruled in favor of the Dominican Republic and also the bankruptcy appellate court of the State of Sao Paulo, where Odebrecht appealed. He said he expects the procedures to be completed and the company to restart the payments.
Espiñeira said that the government is waiting on the audits carried out by the new members of the Chamber of Accounts (Camara de Cuentas) on overvaluation of Odebrecht public works in the country, including the Punta Catalina thermoelectric plant to start the so-called Odebrecht 2.0. Odebrecht 2.0 would investigate the eight public works that were not included in the now called Odebrecht 1.0 case for which local courts sentenced Odebrecht commercial representative Angel Rondon to eight years in jail. No Dominican government officer was sentenced for taking bribes. Former Minister of Public Works Victor Diaz Rua was sentenced for not presenting evidence for increases in his personal wealth. The Odebrecht 1.0 case ruling will be read on 25 November 2021 after which the accused will be able to appeal. A final decision is expected by the end of 2022.
Meanwhile, Alicia Ortega, the local representative for the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists has continued to air programs revealing more details on the code names, key to the investigation of Odebrecht 2.0.
Read more:
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
Hoy
Noticias SIN
Diario Libre
El Informe con Alicia Ortega
El Informe con Alicia Ortega – code names
El Informe con Alicia Ortega
El Informe con Alicia Ortega
Altagracia Salazar
25 October 2021