José Horacio Rodríguez calls alleged ITLA salary deductions for politics “deplorable”

Santo Domingo.- José Horacio Rodríguez, president of the Democratic Option party, strongly criticized recent revelations from a journalistic investigation alleging that employees of the Technological Institute of the Americas (ITLA) were asked to contribute up to 5% of their salaries to finance a political movement, calling the situation “deplorable.”

Rodríguez said the case reflects a broader pattern of irregular political financing in the Dominican Republic and should be thoroughly investigated. He warned that such practices violate existing laws and illustrate a systemic problem in which money is used as a tool to gain political power, citing previous scandals involving corruption and even drug trafficking.

The former congressman stressed the need to reduce the cost of politics by setting stricter limits on campaign spending and strengthening oversight and transparency. He also urged the country to consider international models, such as Belgium’s regulated political advertising and France’s limits on television campaign time, as examples of how to curb excessive electoral spending and ensure that political financing serves the public interest.