President Luis Abinader swore in the four Constitutional Court judges. The new Constitutional Court judges are Maria del Carmen Santana, Eunisis Vasquez Acosta, Jose Alejandro Vargas and Manuel Ulises Bonnelly Vega. They replace judges Wilson Ramírez, Katia Miguelina Jiménez, Hermógenes Acosta de los Santos and Ana Isabel Bonilla whose terms had expired.
Maria del Carmen Santana de Cabrera is 54 years old. She began her career as a justice of peace in 1998. At the time of her appointment, she was judge of the Second Hall of the Penal Chamber of the Court of Appeals in Santiago. She is a graduate in law from the Pontifical University Madre y Maestra in Santiago, with postgraduate studies in constitutional law in the Dominican Republic and Spain. In her presentation, she mentioned her ties to the Roman Catholic Church institutions and family values in the country.
Eunisis Vásquez Acosta is 60 years old born in Nagua, María Trinidad Sánchez province. She was named on 10 January 2020 ambassador to the Vatican during the last months of the Medina administration. She is a graduate of the Universidad Pedro Henríquez Ureña law school. Previously, she had been presiding judge of the Second Hall of the Civil and Commercial Appeals Court of the National District. She has been active in women’s groups that support actions of the Archbishop of Santo Domingo. The passing of the three exceptions to the ban on abortion is one of the country’s most crucial topics. Churches in the Dominican Republic have actively opposed the exceptions.
Of the four judges, José Alejandro Vargas is the only one with a high profile. He was born in La Vega in 1955. He is recognized for his outstanding participation in the Odebrecht corruption case and many others. He is a graduate engineer, who then held a successful career as a newscaster on radio prior to graduating in law and entering the judge career. He has been professor of law at the O&M University.
Judge Manuel Ulises Bonnelly Vega is 52 years old. He is a former judge and criminal justice expert. He is a graduate in law with graduate studies in corporate law from the Pontifical University Madre y Maestra in Santiago. He also carried out graduate studies in criminal law at the Buenos Aires University. He has taught law at the PUCMM since 1994. He served as judge of the third hall of the Penal Court of Appeals of the National District (2006-2013).
Muckracking news analyst Marino Zapete expressed concern for his independence after Bonnelly Vega spoke of his close ties to former President Leonel Fernández. Bonnelly would reply that he had also provided advisory services to several leading politicians.
The National Council of the Magistracy members also swore in Supreme Court of Justice Francisco Ortega Polanco for an extended term.
Read more:
Assessment interview with Maria del Carmen Santana
Assessment interview with Eunisis Vásquez Acosta
Assessment interview with Jose Alejandro Vargas
Assessment interview with Manuel Ulises Bonnelly Vega
Marino Zapete – El Jarabe on judge Bonnelly Vega
26 January 2021