Punta Cana.- Ramón “Manolito” Ramírez, the mayor of Verón-Punta Cana, faces legal action for failing to respond to a request for information about his administration, as mandated by the Law on Free Access to Public Information (Law 200-04). This law stipulates that officials who deny or obstruct access to public information can be sentenced to six months to two years in prison and disqualified from holding public office for five years.
A request for documents was submitted to the Verón council on August 20, 2024. The council did not respond within the required 15 business days, nor did they request an extension, as allowed by the law. Journalist Robert Antonio Guerrero, through his attorney Ruddy Severino, has filed an appeal for protection against Ramírez and the council for this violation. The appeal will be heard by the Civil and Commercial Chamber of La Altagracia once the presiding judge schedules the hearing.
Guerrero criticized the lack of timely responses from officials as a troubling precedent, emphasizing that transparency is crucial for democracy. Law 200-04 guarantees the public’s right to access information from state bodies and officials, with specific provisions to ensure this right is upheld, barring concerns like national security or privacy.