The director of the Technical Executing Unit for the Titling of State Lands (Utect), Mérido Torres said on Wednesday, 29 March 2023 that he is willing to submit himself to the scrutiny of “whoever and however he wants” to demonstrate that he has no links whatsoever to the criminal acts association to the Operation Calamar (Squid Operation) case. He is mentioned in the prosecutor files since last year regarding irregular transactions made from the Ministry of Hacienda.
Torres is a lawyer and high-ranking politician of the Partido Revoluciona Moderno (PRM). He told the press that no one from the current government administration has asked him to leave his post.
“I am not resigning, nor am I going to ask for a leave of absence and no one has asked me from the government to leave my position,” said the high-ranking government officer.
He said a negative campaign against him is underway by internal and external people after he announced he aspires to be the PRM candidate for mayor in Santo Domingo East. “This is a media campaign and in due time I will sue those who are behind this,” he said.
Torres explained that after making a collection in February 2020 by winning a sentence in the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) and after the mention of his name in social networks and media, he and his lawyers held a press conference to clarify his situation. He said he has made himself available to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in case he was required.
“I do not appear in this file as accused. I appear because I sued the Dominican state in 2017 because a family that owns part of the land of Las Americas Airport visited me. I sued as a lawyer to the Dominican state, and I won the case in 2019,” he stated.
He added: “My client was paid in 2020 and therefore, I had a power of attorney cuota litis to collect 30%, of which I was only paid 15%.
Likewise, he clarified that the lawyers are not part of the process, since they receive mandates and act to ensure that the clients achieve a profit for their cause.
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
Utect
Listin Diario
Proceso
30 March 2023