F?lix Jim?nez, who heads the government?s notably ineffective anti-corruption department (Depreco), is calling once again for the prosecution of former President Leonel Fern?ndez for his alleged use of government funds in his 2000 Presidential election campaign. The Depreco director yesterday revealed that a summons had been issued 20 days ago, recommending that District Attorney M?ximo Aristy Caraballo bring Leonel Fern?ndez to justice for the alleged misuse of RD$1.4 billion. According to Jim?nez, these funds were diverted from an account established in January 2000 for priority public construction and reconstruction projects. This sort of account is normally intended for use in response to disasters and emergencies such as earthquakes or hurricanes, said Jim?nez, Fern?ndez and other officials of the then-incumbent PLD government, specifically the minister of public works and the Presidential office?s technical secretary, should be answerable, said Jim?nez. PLD spokesman Radham?s Jim?nez branded these tactics as ?an illegal act? and said that his party would provide a ?political response? should the threats to proceed go forward. Reinaldo Pared P?rez, secretary general of the PLD, dismissed the allegations as ?a PPH maneuver to discredit Leonel Fern?ndez which will not succeed.? The PPH is the internal PRD movement campaigning for President Hip?lito Mej?a?s re-election. Pared P?rez claims that F?lix Jim?nez is part of that political faction, which thus illustrates his motives.
Fern?ndez, however, is not the only target of Jim?nez? crusade. He also announced that the Supreme Court?s chief, Jorge Subero Isa, along with other top-ranking judges, would be investigated for alleged leniency in criminal white-collar cases. Despite efforts to reform the judicial system, not much has improved, as easily evidenced by a visit to the nation?s prisons, said Jim?nez. He cited several tax-evasion cases, first opened during the PLD administration and which involved ?some of the country?s top businesspeople and companies.? These cases were not pursued, felt Jim?nez, because of ?economic transactions? or payoffs. With the sixth anniversary of Depreco?s creation being marked today, its director spoke about the difficulties of combating corruption in the country, saying that ?large-scale corruption starts with the large-scale support made by certain powerful sectors (the political parties) as investment, in order to use it while in government. This reality is not unique to the Dominican Republic, but is endemic to countries with weak democratic institutions.? Jim?nez went on to criticize certain elements of the media for being in the pockets of certain politicians. He gave the example of the former head of the port authority, who was found to have had 28 journalists on his payroll, with the aim of furthering his senatorial ambitions. In this way, said Jim?nez, public money is used to pay these ?mouthpieces? that promote personal political interests. Attorney M?ximo Aristy Caraballo is not spared in Jim?nez? criticism: the district attorney is slammed for ?bludgeoning? the accusation against PLD officials in the PEME corruption case.