Santo Domingo.- The International Consortium of InvestigativeJournalists (ICIJ) intends to publish in around two weeks more information fromthe "Panama Papers," the massive leak of documents that reveal theuse of tax havens to hide wealth, including names, companies and addresses inthe Dominican Republic.
Quoted by newspaper Diario Libre, a ICIJ representative confirmedthe announcement, which will include dozens of countries, to be released beforethe general elections on May 15.
The Panama Papers cite for more than 11.5 million internaldocuments of the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, considered one of theworld’s five largest registrars of offshore companies.
Justice minister Francisco Dominguez said the cooperationwith Panama’s Attorney General was requested on April 6, to identify potential Dominicancompanies or legal entities involved in tax evasion by offshores. On April 20 hesaid he was awaiting a response.
German newspaper Süddeustche Zeitung and the ICIJ gainedaccess to the massive leak of documents covering the inner workings of MossackFonseca from 1977 to December 2015. The list includes at least 12 heads ofstate or prime ministers, politicians, athletes and artists, among others.
A team of more than 370 journalists from around 100 mediafrom 76 countries worked on the data for about one year, who analyzing thereports that have been published since early April.
The leak unveiled how wealthy taxpayers, banks and lawfirms have conducted questioned operations, with Mossack Fonseca’s collaboration.
The published documents prompted the resignation of Icelandprime minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, and Spanish Industry minister JoseManuel Soria.