The debates surrounding Law 1-24, which creates the National Intelligence Agency (DNI) are ongoing. Late last week, the former chief justice of the Constitutional Court, Milton Ray Guevara, brought his vast constitutional knowledge and experience to bear on the law. He stated that he felt that the law has shadings of authoritarianism and should return to the legislature for revision.
The scholar noted that some provisions in the law are very close to aborting fundamental liberties. His suggestion was to convene a special session of the National Congress to address some of the questionable articles in the law as it stands.
He said that the Dominican Society of Newspapers certainly feels that the law infringes on several of its rights, such as keeping sources secret. The banking sector has voiced worries, as did the private sector and the general public. Ray Guevara calls “extraordinary” the many voices of alert.
As a constitutional scholar, the former judge made it clear that such the law was covered under Article 261 of the Dominican Constitution and that he felt that, given the current state of world affairs, the Dominican Republic did need to gather as much intelligence as possible. However, after 31 years of the Trujillo dictatorship, he feels it is necessary to be very cautious to not affect the freedoms currently enjoyed by the people.
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El Dia
El Caribe
5 February 2024