Commentator: Dominican Justice’s dark side behind judge-prosecutor row

Santo Domingo.- Titled “Judge-prosecutor showdown, what you see and what you don’t see,” one of Dominican Republic’s most prominent political commentators on Wednesday warned Dominicans that there’s more to the recent row pitting National District prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reynoso against Instruction judge Margarita Cristo.

Orlando Gil, in his daily column for newspaper Listin Diario ‘Orlando dice’ (Orlando says), compares the confrontation with an iceberg and questions that a judges organization from the region has already come out in their colleague’s defense and in detriment of her rival.

“This solidarity, on it promptness and breadth, becomes suspicious, regardless of which of the two is right. That judges from other countries are keen to and react to difficulties which are normal between the judges and prosecutors, says more than what’s known,” the columnist says, and recalls the expression about “the cat of Maria Ramos, which hurls the stone and hides the paw.”

Hs said the problem will not be resolved “woman to woman" now that Cristo has regional support while “the street backs Reynoso.”

Gil notes that the judges’ document, published in full-page ads by national newspapers, reveals “hidden” interests. “Who had that interest, but above all the funds, because there’s no doubt of its high cost.”

Corrupt judiciary

“The problem isn’t whether Prosecutor Reynoso ran off at the mouth, but instead that the Dominican justice has dark and hidden moves which corrupt it. It cannot be like a castaway, who swam only to die on shore…”

He also questions Cristo’s lack of response to Reynoso’s allegations during last Friday’s hearing “when she should’ve,” but now files charges of contempt.

He said the unexpected support from persons or sectors reveals a hidden desire, “not to clear the judge of the doubts, but instead to disqualify the Prosecutor who cast them. That is not to save Cristo but to sink Reynoso, since her defeat would have many implications, including dropping a case that was too heavy for her shoulders of a woman (?).”

Gil adds that as to the coincidence that Cristo’s lawyer is also the one who represents former Public Works minister Victor Diaz Rua, “the perverse whisper, is no coincidence…”